Richard Ingham

Richard Schuyler Ingham, 95, died peacefully at his Fort Lauderdale home on Wednesday, April 17, 2019. With the help of caring aides and hospice services his family was able to be with him through the months of his illness and at the end. He is preceded in death by his incomparable wife of 60 years, Helen Ann Hubbell Ingham, and his brothers, Harvey and Steve. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he grew up in Pasadena and San Diego, California, before joining the US Army Air Forces in 1942. During World War II, as navigator aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress he flew 25 heavy bombardment missions over Germany and occupied Europe. He returned to Iowa to marry, complete his degree in economics at Iowa State University, and begin a family. He and Helen Ann had settled in Duluth, Minnesota, and were raising four young children when Helen Ann was stricken with polio. With deep devotion, resilience, determination, and ingenuity, he dedicated himself to her recovery, caring for their family, and surmounting all obstacles to ensure that they had an active, joyous, colorful, fulfilling life together, although she would never regain the use of her legs. In 1954, they moved to Fort Lauderdale, and eventually rounded out the family with two more children. Trained as a banker, Richard was also a natural businessman and entrepreneur, starting or acquiring companies in the radio, TV, newspaper, retail, real estate, investing, finance, and banking industries, including American National Bank, the oldest independent community bank in Broward County, where he remained on the board until his death. In addition to many national charitable causes, he was a faithful supporter of local non-profits, including the Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Broward Public Library Foundation, Bonnet House, Gold Coast Jazz Society, and Pine Crest School where he served for many years as a trustee and later trustee emeritus. But his favorite enterprise was his large and adoring family, whether traveling the world with them, boating in the islands or the Intracoastal, or treating them to lunch or dinner out at one of his favorite haunts: Alexander’s, Grille 66, Casa D’Angelo, Café Seville, Coral Ridge Yacht Club, Rainbow Palace, or the Coral Ridge Country Club. He took care of himself and was blessed with good health throughout his 95 years. Until the last few months of his life he lived independently and drove himself to the office every day to work with his sons and his loyal Asterisk team, Tina, Patty, and Lucie. He enjoyed exercising with his trainer Maureen in the mornings and jamming with his piano teacher Sheri every Wednesday night. To the outside world he appeared quiet and circumspect, but his family knew him as a man overflowing with intelligence, insight, generosity, humor, creativity, music, and fun. His kindness, patience, and courtesy were an inspiration and rarely failed him even through the trials and indignities of his illness. He is survived by his grateful children, Sky (Heida Boucher), Annelle Carney, Hilary Hickman (Bill), Sharon Horal (Dennis), Fred (Ann Marshall), and Tim (Julie Pabst); along with his admiring grandchildren, Kim Viniard (Sam), Rob Carney IV, Tiffany Benjamin (Steven), Helen Cohoon (J.J.), Fred Horal, Hank Ingham, and Lulu Ingham; and his 9 great-grandchildren, Stephen Viniard, Maggie Viniard, Sammi Viniard, Kyle Benjamin, Schuyler Benjamin, Reef Carney, Helen Ann Cohoon, Josie Cohoon, and Freyja Cohoon (whom he called Wolanski). We will remember him sitting at the piano, on the bridge of his last boat Great Grief, or at his honored place at the table surrounded by his family.
He will be interred beside his wife in Des Moines, Iowa. A celebration of his life will be held on May 17th. Memorial contributions may be made to Gold Coast Jazz Society or the charity of your choice.

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