1913
Laurene
2009
Laurene E. Ryan
October 6, 1913 — July 26, 2009
Laurene Elizabeth Ryan, 95, passed away on Sunday, July 26 at Eventide Lutheran Home, Moorhead, MN.
Laurene was born in Des Moines, Iowa on October 6, 1913 to Arthur H. and Mamie A. (Bloomquist) Beck and was the second oldest of 8 children. She was a coal-miner's daughter as her father and his brothers owned Beck Coal and Mining Company in Des Moines. She grew up and attended school in Des Moines, graduating from Lincoln High School. She married Clyde P. Ryan on November 22, 1930. They lived in Des Moines; in Decatur, Illinois; and then moved to the Fargo Moorhead area in 1951.
After Clyde and Laurene moved to Fargo, Laurene joined the Fine Arts Club. She was an avid reader. She was an excellent seamstress and enjoyed doing embroidery, having done several large pictures for family members and many sets of dish towels and pillowcases. Laurene's church was very important to her. She was a long time member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Moorhead. She volunteered in many capacities but her love of books lead her to the Library Committee which she served on for over 25 years. She was the treasurer for several years but her specialty was doing the book covering of all of the library books. At the age of 92, she gave up this position, having decided that it was time someone younger took over.
Laurene and Clyde enjoyed many years and made long lasting friendships at their lake cottage on Middle Comorant Lake. Many stories were told and retold of the comical situations that arose when the neighbors were all building their cottages. Laurene was a gracious hostess and could pull a complete meal out of seemingly nowhere and always had home-made cookies for anyone that stopped by.
Laurene is survived by a daughter Cathy (Perry) Keller; grandchildren Kevin Ryan, Denise McClelland, Debie Billman; sisters Dorothy Sheil and Patricia (Max) Ridenour; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Clyde; son Mick; daughter-in-law Gussie; brothers Ernie and Alvin; sisters Elsie Brose, Helen Knepper, Kathryn Harvey; and one great-grandchild.
Thank you to the nurses and aides (especially Ryan) at Eventide for their kindness and compassion in caring for her. She thought you all were wonderful and appreciated everything you did for her.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Library Fund of Christ the King Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN or Roger Maris Cancer Center, Fargo, ND.
Visitation: One hour before the service.
Funeral Service: Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Christ the King Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN
Burial: Des Moines, Iowa
Laurene was born in Des Moines, Iowa on October 6, 1913 to Arthur H. and Mamie A. (Bloomquist) Beck and was the second oldest of 8 children. She was a coal-miner's daughter as her father and his brothers owned Beck Coal and Mining Company in Des Moines. She grew up and attended school in Des Moines, graduating from Lincoln High School. She married Clyde P. Ryan on November 22, 1930. They lived in Des Moines; in Decatur, Illinois; and then moved to the Fargo Moorhead area in 1951.
After Clyde and Laurene moved to Fargo, Laurene joined the Fine Arts Club. She was an avid reader. She was an excellent seamstress and enjoyed doing embroidery, having done several large pictures for family members and many sets of dish towels and pillowcases. Laurene's church was very important to her. She was a long time member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Moorhead. She volunteered in many capacities but her love of books lead her to the Library Committee which she served on for over 25 years. She was the treasurer for several years but her specialty was doing the book covering of all of the library books. At the age of 92, she gave up this position, having decided that it was time someone younger took over.
Laurene and Clyde enjoyed many years and made long lasting friendships at their lake cottage on Middle Comorant Lake. Many stories were told and retold of the comical situations that arose when the neighbors were all building their cottages. Laurene was a gracious hostess and could pull a complete meal out of seemingly nowhere and always had home-made cookies for anyone that stopped by.
Laurene is survived by a daughter Cathy (Perry) Keller; grandchildren Kevin Ryan, Denise McClelland, Debie Billman; sisters Dorothy Sheil and Patricia (Max) Ridenour; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Clyde; son Mick; daughter-in-law Gussie; brothers Ernie and Alvin; sisters Elsie Brose, Helen Knepper, Kathryn Harvey; and one great-grandchild.
Thank you to the nurses and aides (especially Ryan) at Eventide for their kindness and compassion in caring for her. She thought you all were wonderful and appreciated everything you did for her.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Library Fund of Christ the King Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN or Roger Maris Cancer Center, Fargo, ND.
Visitation: One hour before the service.
Funeral Service: Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Christ the King Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN
Burial: Des Moines, Iowa
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Laurene E. Ryan, please visit our flower store.
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