Naomi Colleen (Erickson) Reisetter (1931-2015)

REISETTER, ERICKSON, PRESCOTT, PFIBSEN, HOUCK, KNUTSON, OAKLAND, HUGHES

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/25/2015 at 11:43:26

Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.

Naomi Colleen (Erickson) Reisetter daughter of Lloyd H. Erickson and Josie C. (Prescott) Erickson was born September 4, 1931 in Ames, Iowa. She grew up in the Ames area attending area schools and graduating from Gilbert High School in 1949. She attended Waldorf College in Forest City graduatinig with an Associate of Arts degree in elementary education in 1951. At the beginning of her second year there, she met a young man who would become her best friend and life partner, Howard Reisetter.

Naomi taught 2nd grade at Ellsworth Community School until she and Howard decided they were tired of being apart. They were married on December 25, 1951 at the Gilbert Lutheran Church while Howard was on leave from the Navy. They spent the first few years of married life in Norman, Oklahoma and then San Diego, California where Howard was stationed during the Korean Conflict. Howard was discharged from the Navy in 1955.

Upon returning to central Iowa, they lived for a short time in Jewell and then rural Gilbert, finally buying the house at 837 Penn in Story City in 1956.

During these years, Howard and Naomi welcomed into the family Larry in 1952, Wayne in 1955, and Steve in 1957.

For a time, between 1959 and 1963, Naomi taught "Release time" Bible school in Randall, Iowa. In 1963, they welcomed a daughter, Carolyn. Naomi spent the next few years raising her children and welcoming another daughter, Kathryn, in 1966. Howard and Naomi raised their children with much love, laughter and music.

In the late 60s Naomi began working with elder services in Story County, working for Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA), writing the grants that would establish the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and other programs including Meals on Wheels and senior luncheons in Story County. She established programs in Story City, Zearing, and Nevada and possibly other communities.

Naomi decided she wanted to earn a Bachelor's degree, and after doing some research, she decided to pursue a degree in psychology. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1979 and immediately started on a Master's degree graduating again from ISU in 1986 with a degree in family therapy. She was a member of the psychology National Honor Society, Psi Chi. She continued working with social services and doing everything a mom, grandma, and wife has to do while she was taking classes. Needless to say, she was REALLY busy, but always at the center of EVERYTHING was her faith and her relationship with Jesus Christ.

From the mid 80s until the early 90s, Naomi worked as a family therapist for Lutheran Social Services in Ames and then Quakerdale in New Providence. She finally decided it was time to relax and enjoy life so she retired in 1995.

In 1999, Naomi threatened to go to Norway without him so, as always, Howard conceded to her wishes and they went, visiting Norway, Sweden, and the home of one of their many 'adopted' children and foreign exchange student, Mari Sarparanta in Finland.

Naomi was a 'go-getter' and if something needed to be done she either did it or instigated it. In October of 2001, at 71 years old, on a warmer fall day, Naomi decided it would be good to get the Christmas lights up on the house. She got out the lights, climbed up on the roof and proceeded to accidently walk off the edge while laying lights out. She landed on her feet, but because she did so, both heels were crushed and her right ankle was messed up. The doctors said that at her age she would never walk again. Most people would have been defeated by these words but in typical Naomi fashion, she decided she was going to walk again and she did. She regained the ability to walk and returned to the activities that she had enjoyed before the fall: swimming, hiking, gardening, doing yard work, helping her kids and grandkids with various tasks, biking, sewing, reading, and traveling with Howard. In their travels they visited all of the 48 contiguous states as well as both Canada and Mexico.

Naomi was known for opening her home and her heart to whomever might need help, touching many lives in many different ways. The house at 837 Penn became known as the Reisetter boarding house to some as Howard and Naomi welcomed, at various times, refugees from Vietnam, members of touring choirs, inner city children for a few weeks in the summer, an entire family when their home was destroyed by a fire, several foster children, two foreign exchange students, one from Norway, and one from Finland with whom they have maintained contact since she lived here for the 1980-81 school year. They provided a home for college students at various times, Riverside Bible Camp employees, and then friends of their kids' over the years. They also gave aide and shelter to travelers several times.

Naomi went home to be with her Savior on June 27, 2015, at Bethany Manor, in Story City, Iowa surrounded by many of her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Ramona, in infancy, two brothers, Harold and Marvin, and a grandson, Kyle Reisetter.

Those left to celebrate her life include her husband, Howard, sons Larry (Denice) of Story City, Wayne (Donna) of Adel, Steve (Tressa) of Champlin, Minnesota, daughters Carolyn (Troy) Pflibsen of Litchfield, Minnesota, Kathryn (Trev) Houck of Radcliffe, and Mari Sarparanta of Helsinki, Finland, sister Lois (Caleb) Knutson and brothers Richard (Mavis) Erickson and Jim (Jan) Erickson, sisters-in-law, Karen Erickson, Phyllis Oakland, Joyce Hughes, and Cleone Reisetter, along with 14 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Funeral Service
JUL 1. 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
St. Petri Lutheran Church
804 Grand Ave.
Story City, IA, US, 50248

http://www.adamssoderstrum.com/
 

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