Wanda Lee Ringwald Maddux passed away April 24, 2016. Friends and loved ones are encouraged to share in services to celebrate her life at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 30, at the Strode Funeral Home Chapel. Services will be conducted by Kyle Anderson, Associate Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Stillwater. Visitation will be Friday, April 29, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Strode Funeral Home, 610 S. Duncan.
Wanda was born in Cushing, OK on November 5, 1924, to John William and Eva Wilson Ringwald. She lived in Payne County throughout her formative years except for 1930-1936 during the Dust Bowl when she lived with her family in Moscow, KS.
Upon graduation from Ripley High School in 1942, she was recruited to attend Tulsa Business College in Tulsa, OK. She subsequently started her career in New York City where she lived and worked for one year. After returning to Oklahoma, Wanda moved to Stillwater where she worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She later found a home at Oklahoma State University where she was the administrative assistant to the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. She enjoyed her affiliation with the veterinary doctors and students until her retirement.
Wanda married William G. (Bill) Maddux on March 25, 1949 and settled permanently in Stillwater to raise their four children. She was devoted to her family, providing support to the various activities of her children. She served as room mother for all four children, Cub Scout Den Mother, Girl Scout Troop Leader and was active in the Eastern Star.
Wanda supported Bill’s work as Chief of the Stillwater Fire Department. She was a founding member and president of the Spitfires, an organization for the wives of Stillwater firefighters, and has remained involved in the Stillwater Retired Firefighters organization.
She also found great pleasure in supporting outreach programs of the First United Methodist Church, especially the weekly community dinner where many friendships were made and nurtured as food was being served. She was passionate about gardening and maintained beautiful flowering gardens at her home. She travelled with Bill and with her children and grandchildren to many points of interest, including England, Hawaii, Canada and Alaska.
Wanda is survived by her children, William G. Maddux II and his wife, Merrye Ann, of Willis, TX; Denver Ray Maddux of Lafayette, Colorado; and Carol Maddux Hall and her husband, Jack, of Arlington, TX; grandchildren, William G. Maddux III of Arlington, TX, Geoff Maddux of Fort Worth, TX, Justin Maddux and Grant Maddux of Lafayette, CO, Moriah Maddux of Tulsa, OK, and Kacee Hall Homeyer of Dallas, TX; her sister, Valla Ringwald Sims of Stillwater, OK and her brothers Dale Ringwald of Temple, TX and Billy Ringwald of Ada, OK; as well as six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William G. Maddux, her daughter, Jane Maddux, her parents, her brothers, John Ringwald, Wayne Ringwald and Archie Wilson Ringwald, and her sister, Lucille Ringwald Terrel.