Ethel Ione Reistad

ETHEL IONE (MILLER) REISTAD, age 101 of Morristown was called to be with her Savior on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at the New Richland Care Center.

Ethel was born in Bath Township on June 1, 1917 to Edward O. and Ida T. (Johnson) Miller.  She was baptized in the Christian faith on July 8, 1917 at the Norwegian Lutheran Church in New Richland and confirmed in the faith on November 15, 1931 at North Freeborn Lutheran Church in Clarks Grove.  She graduated from Ellendale High School in May 1935.  Ethel was married to Vernon Roy Reistad on June 24, 1941 at First Lutheran Church in Ellendale.  They farmed near Morristown before retiring to Waseca in 1990.  Ethel spent her final years in the good care of the New Richland Care Center.  In addition to farming, Ethel worked first as a telephone operator for the Cannon Valley Telephone Company and then as a cook for 16 years at Morristown Public Schools.  She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Morristown where she was active in the Ladies’ Aid and served as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher.  She also sewed quilts for several years with the Red Cross Sewing Club.

Ethel is survived by three children, Virginia Schmidtke of Morristown, Bruce (Pamela) Reistad of Austin, and Dale (Kathryn) Reistad of Lakeway, TX; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Milburn Nelson and LaVerne Seberson both of Albert Lea; and many friends, nieces, nephews, and step-grandchildren and their families.  She was preceded in death by her husband Vernon; daughter Jane Reuter and her husband Roger Reuter; son-in-law Wilmer Schmidtke; two grandsons, Richard and Randy Spitzack; two brothers and their wives, Dwight (Betty) Miller and Edward (Arlene) Miller; and two sisters, Phyllis Nelson and Eileen Seberson.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM on Friday, October 5, 2018 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Morristown, with Rev. Travis Loeslie officiating.  Visitation will be held from 9:00AM until the time of the service at the church.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church.  A private family interment will follow at First Lutheran Cemetery in Ellendale. 

 
 

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