Iona Rydell

Iona Rydell, 95, Fairmount, ND passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2014 at St. Francis Healthcare Campus, Breckenridge, MN. Funeral Services will be on Monday, February 17, at 2:00 pm at the Fairmount United Methodist Church, Fairmount, ND with Pastor Mark Gronseth officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday from 5 pm to 7 pm with a 7 pm prayer service at Willow Creek Chapel, Wahpeton, ND. There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Interment will be at Hillside Cemetery, Rosholt, SD. Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton, ND.

Iona LaVon Teare was born on May 7, 1918 on a farm near Rosholt, SD to Earl and Emelie (Berggren) Teare. At the age of three they moved to Rosholt where she attended school and graduated from high school in 1935. She attended college in Morris, MN and studied business. She then worked as a telephone operator in Rosholt.

Iona was united in marriage to Douglas Rydell on November 28, 1947 in the "Little Brown Church" in Nashua, IA. In 1947, they invested in a truck and combine and started custom combining until 1952 when they purchased the home farm near Fairmount. Three children were born to them, Ronald, Richard, and Renae. They retired in 1980 and moved into the house they built in Fairmount where Iona lived to the present day.

Iona was a member of Fairmount United Methodist Church and the UMW. She enjoyed gardening and doing jigsaw puzzles. She especially enjoyed being with her family.

Iona is survived by her children, Ronald (Sandy) Rydell, Centralia, WA, Richard (Patti) Rydell, Fairmount, Renae (Tom) Branson, Fairmount; seven grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson, her sister, Gweneth Klein, Hot Springs, SD, sisters-in-law, Joyce Johnson, Mesa, AZ, MaryAnn Rydell, Austin, TX, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Douglas, her sister, Vivian, and her brother, Earl William.