Lillian (Betty) E. Rydell, Sisseton, SD passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at 6:12 AM on Sunday, December 8, 2013 at Sanford Hospital Fargo, ND.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM, on Saturday, December 14th, 2013 at Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, SD with Rev. William Schruba officiating. Organist will be Mona Greseth and Special Music by Haley and Alex Rydell. Pallbearers are Betty's grandsons Heath Rydell; Colt Johnson; Alex Rydell, Samuel Rydell; nephew Scott Ekstrom and grand son-in-law Dan Cwach. Honorary Pallbearers are her remaining grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Burial will be in the St. Joseph Lutheran Cemetery, rural Rosholt, SD. Visitation will be at the Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD 5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. on Friday, December 13th, 2013 with a Prayer Service to be held at 7:00 P.M.
Betty was born April 15, 1927 to Manfred and Lulu Mae (Gottlieb) Ekstrom on a farm southwest of Rosholt, SD and was baptized July 16, 1927 and confirmed at St. Joseph Swedish Lutheran Church rural Rosholt, SD.
Betty attended grade school in Harmony Township Rural Grade School and attended two years of high school in Rosholt, SD and two years of high school in Morris, MN at the Morris Agriculture High School, graduating in 1944.
She married Manley W. Rydell September 11, 1948. They farmed near Fairmount, ND for one year and then moved to a farm southeast of Rosholt, SD where they farmed until the fall of 1959. In 1959, Betty and Manley moved to a farm located in Bryant Township, Roberts County where they farmed until 1999, at which time they retired. They moved to Sisseton in 2004, where Betty resided until her death.
Betty was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church of Sisseton, SD where she taught Sunday School, was a member of the Church Council and Ladies Auxiliary, and enjoyed working with the Grace Lutheran quilters, making quilts for charity and members of the church. Betty was also very active in the Bryant Township Ladies Auxiliary. In Betty's spare time she loved to quilt with the women of the church, making afghans for new born grand children and great grand children, garden, work with her flowers, play cards at the senior center, visit with her grand children and neighbors, follow politics, complete picture puzzles, read and walk. She enjoyed the many get togethers that were held with the immediate family and many relatives.
Betty is preceded in death by her father Manfred Ekstrom and mother Lulu Mae (Gottlieb) Ekstrom; sister Beverly Ekstrom; brothers Alvin Ekstrom and Barry Ekstrom; son-in-law Ron Johnson; husband Manley Rydell and infant daughter ViDan Rydell.
She is survived by her children Terry (Brenda) Rydell of Watertown, SD; Paulette Johnson of Forest Lake, MN; James (Iris) Rydell of Vermillion, SD; Jack (Becky) Rydell of Fargo, ND; and Dennis (Diane) Rydell of Waianae, Hawaii; brother Darrell (Bonnie) Ekstrom of Two Harbors, MN; and sister Lorraine Biel of Rapid City, SD; Sister-in-laws Barb Ekstrom of Esko, MN; Joyce Johnson of Mesa, AZ; Mary Ann Rydell of Austin, TX; Iona Rydell of Fairmount, ND She is also survived by 13 grand children and 14 great grand children and many relatives and friends.
Family requests memorial be given to the Prairie Lakes Dialysis Unit of Sisseton and/or Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, SD.