Sophie Irene Ryan was born at Antler, ND, on November 13, 1918. The family moved to Grand Forks, ND, where she grew up. She graduated from Grand Forks Central High School in 1936 and received her nurse's training at Deaconess Hospital in Grand Forks.
Sophie served in the US Army Nurse Corps during WW II. She was stationed overseas in England and in France.
On June 12, 1947, Sophie was united in marriage to Elwood Vesta, at Bismarck, ND. Following their marriage they made their home in DeKalb, IL. Sophie worked for ten years as the Assistant Director of Nursing at Shabbona Nursing Home in Shabbona, IL.
In 1989, Sophie and Elwood moved to Moorhead. They later lived at Eventide the Fairmont, in Moorhead. In May of 2000, Sophie became a resident of Eventide Lutheran Home, where she died on Friday, April 30, 2004, at the age of 85. Her deep Christian faith and her compassion for people were evident to all who knew her.
Sophie is survived by her husband, Elwood, Moorhead; a daughter, Debbie (Mark) Johnson, Peoria, IL; three sons, Dale (Leanne) Vesta, Sycamore, IL, Dewey (Esther) Vesta, Moorhead, and Darrel Vesta, Dublin, Ohio; and six grandchildren, Kristine (Craig) Tamblyn, Katie and Ryan Vesta, Brent and Brad Vesta, and Sarah Johnson.
Sophie was preceded in death by her parents, Bastian and Sarah Ryan; and four sisters, Marie Nelson, Delores Rasmussen, Florene Skaff and Pauline Ellingson.
Visitation: Tuesday, from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM,
Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead, and
one hour before the funeral, at the church.
Funeral service: Wednesday, May 5, 2004, at 10:30 AM,
Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church,
Moorhead, Minnesota.
Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Moorhead, MN.