Walter D. Ristau

Mason City Walter D. Ristau, 93, of Mason City, died Monday August 16, 2010, at the Mercy Medical Center North Iowa-West Campus. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM, Friday, August 20, 2010, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 419 North Delaware Avenue, with Rev. Mark Lavrenz officiating. Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Thursday (August 19, 2010) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. and also one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held in Elmwood St. Josephs Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church Window Restoration Fund. Walter D. Ristau was born December 16, 1916 on a farm near LuVerne, Iowa the son of Conrad and Emma (Tiede) Ristau. He attended school in Ventura. Farming was his passion and lifetime work. However, during WWII he worked at an airplane factory in Buffalo New York for a short period of time. He met Helen Ferrier at a December 1939 birthday ball at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. They were married in St. Joseph, Missouri June 1, 1941. Their two daughters are Sharon Novak and Debra Hagen.
To Walt, dancing, attending plays, watching movies, playing cards, getting ice cream at Birdsalls, and visiting with everyone were his idea of having fun. He was also an avid Iowa Hawkeye Fan. Most of all he enjoyed doing anything and everything with family. After retirement from farming, he and Helen traveled Mexico, the United States, and Canada. He was a devout member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church for over 67 years, and he served on the church council, was treasurer, elder, and usher. For about 25 years he served as a trustee of Lincoln Township. Walt loved to help neighbors and relatives. We cherished his love of life, his sense of humor, compassion, and generosity. We all will miss him greatly.
He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Walt is survived by his wife of 69 years, Helen of Mason City; and daughters, Sharon Novak and Debra Hagen and husband Pat of Cedar Rapids, IA. Grandchildren are Kelly McDonald of Austin, TX and Tim McMeen and wife Lisa of Williamsburg, IA (Sharons), and Ryan Hagen of Cedar Rapids (Debs). Great grandchildren are Dylan and Evan McDonald, and Mateo and Josephina McMeen. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law (Don Novak), brothers, Clarence, Vern and Ken; sisters, Eleanor Swanson, and Cora Shoemaker.

Memorials:
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church Window Restoration Fund.

Cemetery:
Interment will be held in Elmwood St. Josephs Cemetery.

Visitation:
Visitation will be held 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Thursday (August 19, 2010) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. and also one hour prior to the service at the church.

Service:
Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM, Friday, August 20, 2010, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 419 North Delaware Avenue, with Rev. Mark Lavrenz officiating.