Jamie Ring died on Sept. 29, 2015, finally succumbing to “O.D.T.A.A (One Damn Thing After Another)” in Whitefish. Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend; Jamie was ever the optimist, big hearted, and determined to leave this world better than she found it. She was also fond of a good IPA, a good cheeseburger, and a good conspiracy theory. She was known for getting fits of giggles, especially with her cousin. And please know that if you ever sent Jamie a card, she still had it in a box in her house. The U.S. Postal Service lost a good patron in Jamie.

Born to Jim Childs and Madeline (Cordner) Childs on July 30, 1939, in Bismark, North Dakota, Jamie and family started in Mandan, North Dakota, and then moved to Laurel for a few years. The family moved back to Mandan where she graduated from high school in 1957. Jamie attended Montana State College (Montana State University) and was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education. After graduation, she taught middle school in Helena and then moved to Billings where she also taught middle school. While in Billings, she met the love of her life, Tom Ring. They were married in July 24, 1965, and remained devoted to one another until Tom’s death in 2008. During their marriage, they lived in Missoula and Sterling, Colorado, before finally settling into Casper, Wyoming to raise their family. Jamie was a wonderful stay-at-home mother for several years before going to work at the Casper College Library. She eventually became head of Special Collections for the library.

Jamie always had a strong sense of civic responsibility. While living in Casper, she was on the Wyoming State Commission for Women and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. She was active in her church throughout her entire life, also serving in United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the American Association of University Women and PEO.

Horses were a huge part of Jamie’s life. There are pictures of her on her first horse at 18 months old. Her “horse time” was her therapy, right up until shortly before her death. Although she would not have bragged, she was the Rodeo Queen of North Dakota in 1958. She rode in an annual summer trail ride in or around the Bob Marshall Wilderness with good friends, family and sorority sisters that she looked forward to every year. Jamie was also an avid alpine skier, first learning during college years and continuing up until her diagnosis. She skied all over Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.

Upon her and Tom’s retirement in 1992, they returned to Billings. During these years, they enjoyed traveling to Europe and throughout the U.S., visiting with friends and family. Jamie was also very active in her book club and her investment club. She and Tom were members of Habitat for Humanity and volunteered at a school to help young children with their reading. Jamie also walked in the annual Montana Women’s Run every year she and Tom lived in Billings — and she kept every T-shirt.

Jamie was a proud mother, and an even prouder grandmother. She is survived by her son David and his wife Wendy of Whitefish; daughter Susan and her husband Eric Strom of Sebastopol, California; and her beloved “grands” — Madeline, Sonja, Preston, Grace and Bryant. She loved visiting all of them to watch them in their various sporting events, spending one-on-one time with each of them, and having lively family discussions. Other surviving family members include her brother Greg Childs and his wife Debbie, her cousin Peggy Rowe, and numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved very much.

Jamie was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved Tom.

A celebration of Jamie’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, at the Whitefish First United Methodist Church,1150 Wisconsin Ave., Whitefish, MT 59937.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions can be made to the charity or library of one’s choice, or the Whitefish First United Methodist Church.

Austin Funeral Home is caring for Jamie’s family. You are invited to go to www.austinfh.com to offer condolences and view Jamie’s tribute wall.