Richard C. Ingling, former Burlington County police officer and longtime pro wrestling referee, has died at 75

Rich Ingling went to wrestling school at the Monster Factory in Paulsboro. At 5-feet-11, 170 pounds, he couldn’t be a professional wrestler. So he wore a striped shirt in the ring, was nicknamed the Enforcer, and routinely supervised 300-pound brawlers such as Bruiser Brody and Abdullah the Butcher.

Since the 1980s until last year, at 74, he was a pro wrestling referee, and he worked hundreds of steel cage matches, tag-team bouts, and royal rumbles at shows around the country. His favorite saying was: “If you can’t change it, tuck and roll.”

In the 1990s, in his 40s, he wrestled alligators at Gatorland theme park in Florida. Colleagues said in a tribute that he “understood the wrestling world from the inside.”

Rich Ingling was also military police in the Army, a police officer for a decade in North Hanover and Hainesport Townships in Burlington County, security manager at Walt Disney World in Orlando in the 1990s, and an expert consultant in security, criminal investigations, and polygraph exams in South Jersey, Florida, Las Vegas, and New Orleans. He founded a limousine service and consulted in hotel risk management before retiring in 2020.

He enlisted in the Army after high school when his draft number came up first, spent eight years in Vietnam and Germany, and earned the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medals. He and his wife, Cindy, moved from Orlando to Milton, Del., recently to be close to his family.

On Friday, March 27, Rich Ingling died suddenly at his home. He was 75. The cause of death has not been determined, his family said.

“He had passion for security and the wrestling world,” his wife said. “In both, he was helping people. It was a great combination.”

Everybody said Mr. Ingling was adventurous. He was innovative and energetic. He liked to say: “Make memories now as we may not all be here next year,” “Take those pictures,” and “Ask people, ‘how you doin’?’ That’s a Jersey thing.’”

He wrestled in high school, found his niche as a referee in the pro show, and was hired by the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, the National Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, and other organizations, to oversee some of their biggest events.

He joined pro wrestling’s social club, the Cauliflower Alley Club, in the 1990s and became its longtime popular executive vice president and treasurer. Every year he reveled in presenting its Courage Award, and colleagues said in a tribute: “That wasn’t just an award to Rich. It was personal. It was a reflection of his belief in people, in resilience, and in being there for one another when it matters most.”

Recently, the club renamed the honor as the Rich Ingling Courage Award.

Mr. Ingling was a community-minded police officer in the 1970s and ‘80s, and made it a point to lecture often at schools and public events about drugs. In 1982, he spoke to students at Chesterfield Elementary School and was quoted in The Inquirer: “You don’t need this stuff. Get a natural high. There’s nothing in the world like playing football or soccer. And remember, I hope you consider me a friend if you have trouble.”

Friends called him “welcoming, friendly, and a true class act” and a “very kind person and a tireless worker” in Facebook tributes. He was an engaging storyteller, and his family said: “He formed lasting friendships wherever he went, connecting with people from all walks of life.”

Richard Calvin Ingling was born Sept. 14, 1950, in Burlington. He grew up in Medford, and ran cross-country, wrestled, played baseball, and graduated from Lenape High School in 1969.

He served in the Army from 1969 to 1977. He married Patricia Johnson, and they had daughters Jennifer and Heather.

After a divorce, he met Cindy Wix at Disney World. They married in 1998 and lived in Orlando and Las Vegas before moving to Delaware.

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Mr. Ingling enjoyed gardening, Philly pretzels, sangria, all kinds of desserts, and a good cigar, his family said. He volunteered as Santa Claus for department stores and civic groups, and doted on his grandchildren and dog.

He and his wife traveled the country together often.

“He was rare,” colleagues at the Cauliflower Alley Club said. “Truly rare. The kind of man who made you feel seen, who made you feel like you mattered, and who never needed recognition to do the right thing.”

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His wife said: “He was as big as life.”

In addition to his wife and daughters, Mr. Ingling is survived by four grandchildren and two sisters. Two brothers died earlier.

A celebration of his life is to be held later.

Donations in his name may be made to the Cauliflower Alley Club at www.caulifloweralleyclub.org.