Adrien L. Ringuette

Adrien Lanthier Ringuette 84, of Bristol, Indiana died on January 6, 2010 at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, Indiana. The causes were complications of stroke.

Mr. Ringuette retired from Bayer Corporation as Secretary and General Counsel in 1990. During his career at Miles/Bayer he was involved in, among other things, trade association committees which shaped legislation in the healthcare industry on issues such as the differentiation between medical devices and pharmaceuticals. He also worked with the FDA and other agencies during their review of OTC (over-the-counter) drugs.

Mr. Ringuette was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts on September 9, 1925, the son of the late Joseph and Anita (Lanthier) Ringuette. After serving in the US Army Air Corp during World War II, he graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa after 3 years of study from Amherst College. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1951, and began his career at Dwight, Royal, Harris, Kagel and Caskey in New York (1951-1954).

Mr. Ringuette moved to the Midwest when he joined Universal Oil Products of Des Plaines, Illinois from 1954-1957. He joined Abbott Laboratories as senior attorney and assistant secretary from 1957-1965. In 1965 Mr. Ringuette came to Elkhart County Indiana after joining Miles Laboratories Inc. He is published in both scientific and legal fields.

In 1960 reflecting a lifelong involvement in civil rights, Mr. Ringuette spearheaded the defense of an open housing development in Deerfield, Illinois. These events were chronicled in a 1960 New York Times Magazine article, The South in the North and in a 1962 book by Harry and David Rosen entitled, But Not Next Door.

As a descendent of the original settlers of New France (Quebec Province, Canada), he became interested in French-Canadian history and genealogy. This hobby, an avocation in later years, yielded many publications beginning in 1983.
Mr. Ringuette is an emeritus member of the Board of the FDLI (Food Drug Law Institute), and holds memberships in the Amherst College and Yale Law School Alumni Associations, the Tabor Academy Alumni Association, The Yale Club of New York and the University Club of Chicago and the Elcona Country Club in Elkhart.

Mr. Ringuette is survived by his wife, Celeste Aaron Ringuette, 3 children from a prior marriage, his daughter, Rachel Ringuette (Dr. Lynn) Thomas, and 2 sons Scott W. Ringuette and Grant L. Ringuette, 2 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.

Memorials may be given to the following:

VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)
National Headquarters
406 W. 34th. Street
Kansas City, MO 64111

DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
P.O. Box14301
Cincinnati, OH 45250

The Midwest Museum of American Art
429 South Main Street
Elkhart, IN, 46516

Snite Museum of Art
University of Notre Dame
P.O. Box 368
Notre Dame, IN. 46556

Friends may call at Stemm, Lawson, Peterson Funeral Home
1531 Cobblestone Blvd. Elkhart, IN. 46514
From 3:00 to 7:00 on Tuesday, January 12,2010. An online guestbook may be accessed at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com