Trudy C. Ringer
Trudy was born in Belleville, Kansas, on December 24, 1947, and as a Christmas Eve baby found the date both fortuitous and sometimes frustrating. Her dad, Lad Drapal, often asked if she wanted one big present or two small ones. Like many of us, she wanted two big ones. Another factor was that dad always wanted a boy, so she tried to fill that role at times by helping in the fields, and walking barefoot through the corn to keep raccoons away.
Trudy received many gifts, most notably her ability to relate to others and treat everybody as a friend. Early years included strong participation in 4H activities and winning many ribbons. The basement rafters at home in Cuba were festooned with a huge array of colorful ribbons won by the whole family. Beauty pageant participation was almost required of Trudy and her sister Janice. Czech festivals dominated family trips with the wearing of traditional costumes and singing Czech songs in the native language.
That brings up a bit of a theme with Trudy: she was a minor rebel. Janice learned Czech, so Trudy studied Russian. Instead of traveling to “the homeland” she joined a group called People to People. Several trips were made to Russia as a sponsor of high school students.
Trudy studied at Kansas State University and Emporia State, earning bachelor and master degrees in education. She taught in the Seaman District, then Blue Valley, and finally in Shawnee Mission. Teaching junior high school geography, Trudy and her fellow ninth grade teachers were moved to the 4 year high school level (where she met Brian Angevine—her second husband). Her love of the Russian language and the friendly people stuck with her, leading her to establish a Russian language course at Shawnee Mission West high school—the first of its kind in the district. Two years of very early morning teaching Russian on television followed—along with some criticism from adult native speakers.
A big breakthrough occurred shortly thereafter. The District formed an International School to offer language and culture courses in Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and Russian. Trudy was instrumental in planning and developing the school and its curriculum. Each year a native speaker joined the school to help impart special knowledge. And each year students from each of the countries changed places with each other. Friendships acquired from those exchanges carried on the rest of Trudy’s life.
Trudy’s activities led her to go on a Fulbright-Hays scholarship trip to Poland and Japan. In addition she spent a summer studying at Moscow University. Finally, as a result of meeting Brian she visited the “home country.” Brian was on a Fulbright-Hays scholarship program to Poland and the Czech Republic. Trudy joined him in Prague and spent a week visiting relatives, including a side trip to Slovakia and Vienna.
Trudy and Allen Ringer produced two children, Russell Neal Ringer and Tara Aneska (Ringer) Birdsall. Her children were the joy of her life and that pleasure increased with the birth of her grandson Connor Birdsall. Her union with Brian gave her kids a stepfather and Brian’s sons, Eric David Angevine (Charlottesville, Virginia) and Marc Allen Angevine (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), a distant stepmother.
A devout Catholic, Trudy was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Isidore church in Cuba, and St. Edward in Belleville. Good Shepherd Church in Shawnee Mission, and Corpus Christi church in Lawrence also served her needs.
Trudy passed away on April 29, 2023, at the age of 75.
Trudy was preceded in death by Lad and Viola Drapal, Allen Ringer, aunt Lavonne and Uncle Clarence Thomas, and brother-in-law Dr. Jerome Carrico.
She is survived by husband Brian Angevine (Lawrence), son Russ (Cuba), daughter Tara (Jeff Birdsall), and grandson Connor Birdsall (DeSoto), sister Janice Carrico (Beloit) and nephews Kevin, Kurt, and Kyle.
Visitation will be Wednesday, May 3, 2023, from 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm, at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville. Rosary/Vigil Services will be held at 5:00 pm at the funeral home, and the family will greet friends following the Rosary.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, May 4, at 10:00 a.m., at St. Edward Catholic Church in Belleville, burial will follow at St. Isidore Catholic Cemetery in Cuba.
As a lover of animals, in lieu of flowers, Trudy would appreciate gifts to animal rescue organizations (especially for horses and dogs), and Church organizations, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.
Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home is assisting Trudy’s family with arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com