Obituary of Howard "Ray" Raymond Ring

Dr. Howard Raymond Ring (Ray), 92, a 13 year resident of Las Vegas, passed away February 14, 2013. Born Nov. 8, 1920 in Bridgeport, Conn to the late Bernard and Ida Ring. A graduate of Hackensack NJ schools, he graduated NYU Dental School and did a residency at Bellevue Hospital in anesthesia. He taught at the NYU Dental School, Fairleigh Dickenson and UNLV Graduate Dental programs and was on the staff of Hackensack Hospital. In WWII Ray served on USS Pinkney Hospital Ship throughout the Pacific as a general anesthetist and dental surgeon. He survived a direct hit to the ship by a Kamikaze on April 28, 1945 and he was picked up by a mine sweeper. After being returned to his ship, he confronted the charred remains of many crew and officers as he feverishly helped the remaining medical staff in treating the wounded soldiers brought in from the battle of Iwo Jima. After a fire in 1973 at the Navy records center in St. Louis, his records were finally found and the Navy sent him his medals in 2006, when he was featured as a Lost Hero in a Memorial Day tribute in the Las Vegas Review Journal on May 29, 2006 and honored as an unsung hero in July 2010 by the Association of the US Navy. As a community leader, Ray was a founding member of the Falls Country Club in Florida and Edgewood Country Club in NJ and served on the Boards of the Anti-Defamation League in New Jersey and Las Vegas. He was "Man of the Year" for the Jewish National Fund and co-founder of the Hebrew Home Annex in Rockleigh NJ. He was a Lifetime Member of the American Dental Association after practicing over 50 years in Hackensack and Paramus NJ. On June 8, 1990, 200 patients and friends celebrated his retirement to honor his professional dedication and pursuit of excellence. Ray was a great skier, an avid history reader, chess player, happy golfer and wonderful dancer. A true philanthropist and supporter of Israel, he went on many missions and was a generous supporter of Israel Bonds and UJA. He was ill for the past 2 years, at home, with dedicated care from family and was a wonderful patient. Ray is survived by his wife of 65 years, Rhoda Ring and dedicated and adoring daughters Beth Ring of New York and Pamela Ring of Las Vegas. He is predeceased by his sister Sylvia Richlin. A funeral service was held on Sunday, Feb. 17 at Schoem's Menorah Chapel in Paramus NJ, with burial at Beth El Cemetery. A memorial service will be held in Las Vegas at the Pinnacle Community Center, 2215 Thomas Ryan Blvd., 891324 on Thursday, February 21 at 4:00 PM. To know him was to love him. .