Dr. Warren Jay Ringold, M.D.

October 31, 1948 - June 12, 2023

Dr. Warren Jay Ringold, M.D., age 74, passed away peacefully due to complications of pneumonia on June 12, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.

Warren, also known as Rocky, was born on October 31, 1948, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the late Warren and Dorothy (Shoemaker) Ringold. He is survived by his devoted wife of 53 years, Nancy Ringold, his children Jennifer Kresnak (Randy), Ryan Ringold (Cheryl), Erin Leahy (Chris), Jeffrey Ringold (Kelly), Brent Ringold (Laurie) and Elizabeth Iorio (Curtis), and his cherished grandchildren Jack, Hannah, Joshua, Maeve, Carl Warren, Kendall, Ryan Ashley, Harper, Luke, Andrew, Rockwell, Rocky and Charlotte. Warren is also survived by his siblings, Sue Allen of Coopersville, Jim Ringold (Diane) of Grandville, and his sister-in-law, Barbara Gagnon, of Hudson.

Warren spent his formative years in Grand Rapids and completed his education at Kenowa Hills High School. There, he excelled as a scholar-athlete, graduating summa cum laude and earning the title of valedictorian and homecoming king in 1966. Warren's exceptional abilities extended to the realm of sports, where he lettered in baseball, football, and basketball. In fact, he achieved a remarkable feat during one basketball game, securing an impressive 36 individual rebounds. This outstanding performance placed him among the top twelve highest rebounding games in the history of men's high school basketball, an MHSAA record that still stands today.

He continued his basketball career by earning a scholarship to play at Central Michigan University where he earned a Bachelor's of Mathematics degree and met the love of his life, Nancy Gagnon. They married in 1969, and soon after, they embarked on building their family. By the time Dr. Ringold earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1975, they were already parents to three children. Their unwavering commitment to their growing family continued as they welcomed their fourth child during Dr. Ringold's medical residency with the Department of Public Health in New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon completion of his residency and his service he was honorably discharged.

Subsequently, they returned to Farmington, MI in 1976. At that time, Dr. Ringold dedicated several years to working in a prominent emergency room, providing care for both routine ailments and life-threatening conditions. He and Nancy were blessed with two more children, completing their family of three boys and three girls. Throughout their journey, Dr. Ringold and Nancy nurtured their children with love and devotion, creating a home filled with cherished memories.

During his career, he built a successful medical practice, serving his patients as a family physician in Dearborn for over 40 years. Local television shows like Kelly & Company and Good Afternoon Detroit frequently featured him as a guest doctor for segments related to medical advice. He was featured on an episode of 60 Minutes and in a People Magazine article after creating the first surrogacy clinic in the country to help couples dealing with infertility.

His drive for excellence in service and compassion inspired him to serve on numerous hospital committees at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn including the Medical Executive Committee and Quality Committee. He served two terms as Chief of Family Medicine from 2004 until 2010 and later served as the Chair of Professionalism. Dr. Ringold was also appointed to serve on the University of Michigan's Medical School Admissions Committee interviewing medical school applicants, an honor in which he took great pride and enjoyed helping exceptional young men and women pursue their medical dreams.

Upon retiring from family practice in 2017, Dr. Ringold continued as a partner in an MRI clinic called Affiliated Diagnostics of Oakland. Last year the clinic also began doing business as Bionicc Body Screening, offering full body scans with a mission to help individuals avoid rigorous treatments through early cancer detection. This endeavor was inspired by his own fight against cancer that he initially endured five years ago when he underwent a grueling treatment fighting stage four non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. After remission of nearly a year, cancer returned in his brain as secondary central nervous system lymphoma, which, without treatment, has an average survival rate of two months. He entered a trial at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland as patient number one. Upon completion of treatment and while remaining in remission for nearly 4 years, the NIH informed him that he was the longest living patient on record with secondary central nervous system lymphoma. He was a fighter and had an extraordinary will to live.

Dr. Ringold was a devoted and loving husband to his wife, Nancy, whom he cherished for 53 years and a warm and affectionate father to their six children. He lit up the faces of his 13 grandchildren each time they saw Papa.  His family meant everything to him and he demonstrated that daily through his love, compassion, support, playfulness and involvement. He and Nancy created a special place on Lake Charlevoix that they call the Little Red Cottage, sharing it with family and friends and creating a lifetime of cherished memories. The annual family trip to the cottage is a favorite tradition, where family members gather each 4th of July to enjoy the serenity of Northern Michigan. It wasn't uncommon to have 50 or more people visit him at the cottage over the 4th of July, anxious to hear him tell stories, make them laugh, drink some of his legendary homemade cherry bounce, and entertain them with his card tricks.

Dr. Ringold and his wife fostered an exceptionally welcoming home, where neighborhood kids gravitated, gathering for basketball games in the driveway, swimming in their pool, and enjoying movies in the basement. Beyond providing a space for fun, Dr. Ringold selflessly dedicated numerous hours to his children and their friends. He enthusiastically pulled them along on toboggan rides, played catch with unwavering enthusiasm, and offered his medical expertise whenever needed. Whether embarking on fishing trips, skiing adventures, or tubing escapades, he effortlessly embraced everyone as an extension of his own family, ensuring they felt loved and included in his boundless generosity of time, money, and energy.

During the late 80's and early 90's Dr. Ringold served as the team doctor to Detroit Cooley High School's men's basketball team, as well as coached his AAU basketball team called "The Dogs." Many nights after a long work day, he drove players home after practices and games, stopping to buy everyone food and letting them order as much as they wanted, including extras, to take home because he didn't know if they had food in the cupboards. Dr. Ringold became a father figure to many of the kids who didn't have one.

Dr. Ringold was a "lifer" at Meadowbrook Country Club where he was the self-described "best range player at the club," but admittedly fell apart once he crossed the parking lot to the golf course. He will be remembered by members and staff as a generous, loving man who took interest in them as individuals. Caddies will remember him for his humor, generosity and personal bonds they made with him. Fondly known as Doc, Doc Rock or Rocky, he loved competing in the annual Men's Invitational, running the craps game during stag night, getting into character when telling jokes and laughing with his friends in the locker room.

Dr. Ringold had a wealth of deep, personal connections with people from all walks of life. He engaged with people wherever he went and made it a point to find commonality with the person. Whether it was speaking French with a cab driver, Spanish with a restaurant worker, or learning more about another person's religion, he demonstrated his interest in that person. Dr. Ringold was a giver, and he gave his family, friends, patients and co-workers a lifetime of memories.

He dedicated his life to selflessly serving his family, friends, patients, and community, never seeking anything in return. His generosity knew no bounds, and he found immense joy in assisting others. Helping was his nature—whether through medicine, offering advice, providing financial support, comforting those in distress, aiding the less fortunate, nurturing relationships, or simply bringing smiles and laughter through his presence. His infectious positivity illuminated every room he entered, leaving a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of crossing paths with him. His warm and welcoming smile immediately fostered trust and adoration, captivating hearts within minutes of conversation. Countless times, family members have been approached by individuals inquiring about "Doc Rock" or sharing heartfelt stories of how he profoundly impacted their lives through his selfless acts. These encounters filled his loved ones with immense pride and deepened their appreciation for being part of his extraordinary family.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 27th and Wednesday, June 28th from 1 PM until 8 PM at Heeney-Sundquist Funeral Home in Farmington. The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Lymphoma Research Foundation (Lymphoma.org) or The Children's Inn at NIH (childrensinn.org) in memory of Dr. Warren J. Ringold. Per his wishes, he was cremated, and a private family memorial service will be held at a later date.

The Ringold family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to all the friends and relatives who have shown their support during this difficult time. They invite you to share your condolences and treasured memories of Dr. Ringold by visiting the online memorial page at www.heeney-sundquist.com/obituary/warren-ringold-md

Kindly leave messages of condolence to the Ringold family by signing their online guestbook on this page or, if you would prefer to privately message the family, please email them using this email address: CelebrateDrRingold@gmail.com