Celia A. Reid - Ringer

Celia Ann Reid Ringer was born April 9, 1922, to the late Nellie J. Rhone and the late Joseph Alexander Gross Terrell in Sparks, GA. She was predeceased by her stepfather Rev. Robert Rhone and her brother Thomas C. Terrell. 

She attended Ballard Normal School, a boarding school located in Macon, GA. She attended Paine College in August, GA where she received her degree in Home Economics in 1940. 

Celia moved to Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1944. She worked at Eastern Aircraft located in Linden, NJ, then went to work for ODB, an office of the Federal Government, where she worked as a Treasury Collector, processing checks for veterans of the U.S. military. 

In January of 1946, she married James P. Reid at Mt. Teman AME Church in Elizabeth, NJ. That year she also moved to Roselle, NJ where she has been a resident for 78 years. From that union came four children, James, Jr.; Nella (Sissy); Robert and Stanley (all deceased). She was widowed in 1966. She has five grandchildren, James Paul Reid III (deceased), Celia Reid, Gabrielle Reid, Taylor Reid, and Brittany Reid. 

With the birth of her children, she became a homemaker. After her husband died, in 1966 she went back to school at Newark State Teachers' College (now Kean University), receiving her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Subsequently, she received her Master's degree in Education with a focus on Disabled Children (now known as Special Needs Education). She worked for the Elizabeth and Westfield Boards of Education. She retired in 1985. 

In 1969, Celia met her soulmate in Roselle, NJ resident Ernest J. Ringer in 1969 and they have been married 48 wonderful years since 1976. Theirs was a testament to what real, true, committed, and enduring love means. Over the years she and Ernest enjoyed their favorite hobbies, traveling domestically and internationally; and she loved cooking; and entertaining friends and family. 

Mother Ringer has been a member of Mt. Teman AME Church in Elizabeth, NJ for 74 years and during that time she was an active and attentive member of the Pastor's Aide Ministry. She also played an integral role in helping Mt. Teman liquidate its mortgage as a member of the church's Mortgage Liquidation Committee. All through her 74 years at Mt. Teman, Mother Ringer distinguished herself as a faithful and fruitful member, who was always concerned about the life and ministry of our Mt. Teman AME Church. 

Celia was an avid advocate for seniors and her community. She volunteered for many years for the New Jersey Division on Aging and was the President of the Minority Task Force for Union County. She was a lifetime member of the NAACP and a volunteer with Jewish Family Services. 

She has received many commendations and recognition for her service including being honored by the National Council of Negro Women - Outstanding Community Service Award; the Civic Leader Award from the Union County Minority Task Force on Aging and the Union County Board of Freeholders for Outstanding Service to the Minority Task Force. 

Her motto is to treat everybody right, respect others and demand respect for yourself. 

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved husband Ernest J. Ringer; Granddaughters Celia Reid, Gabrielle Reid, Taylor Reid and Brittany Reid; daughter-in-love Brenda Williams, her beloved niece Mona Terrell Wallace (Nathaniel); nephew Delius Wilson and a host of family and friends. 

Ernest was the love of Celia's life, caregiver, support system, and her forever friend. Her prayer has always been to keep her husband Ernest prayed up to soldier on when God called her home.