Obituary for Donald John Ries
Donald J. Ries, age 92 of Kranzburg, South Dakota passed away February 8, 2019 in Watertown, South Dakota.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 15, 2019 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. Father Ken Koster will be the celebrant with Brian Ries as organist and Orla Ries and JoEllen Friedrichsen as vocalists.
Interment will be at Holy Rosary Cemetery in Kranzburg.
PLEASE NOTE LOCATION: Visitation will be from 4-7:00 p.m., with a rosary at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 14, 2019 at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
Memorials may be designated to the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, PO Box 166, Kranzburg, SD 57245.
Honorary group will be Donald's granddaughters, Amy Kjetland, Lisa Kramer, Stacie Swanstrom, Missy Eitreim, Natasha Ronke and Alyssa Thooft.
Pallbearers will be Donald's grandsons, Jason Ries, Brian Ries Deric Ries Todd Ries, Darin Ries, Trevor Stricherz, Brent Stricherz, Josh Stricherz, Chad Ries, Paul Ries, Seth Schamens, Brett Schamens and Jay Thooft.
Donald John Ries, the son of Hubert and Nora (Endres) Ries, was born on August 11, 1926 in Watertown, South Dakota. He attended country school through the eighth grade. On September 14, 1950 he married Armella Lindner at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg, South Dakota. The couple farmed in the Kranzburg area and Donald was also very active in rural water development. He helped organize the Sioux Rural Water system set up in Brookings, South Dakota and served on the board for over 13 years. For his dedication in this field he received the "Carol Anderson Award" which is an honorable recognition from the state association. Donald was also employed at Ramkota for 10 years as a security and maintenance person and received Employee of the Year Award. He was a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church and a member of Catholic Order of Foresters for 75 years. The couple had celebrated 68 years of marriage before Donald passed away.
He dearly loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren and enjoyed attending their sports activities. He always had time for his grandchildren. Donald also enjoyed dancing, playing pinochle, and word circle puzzles.
Donald is survived by his wife, Armella of Watertown; his children, Melvin (Orla) Ries of Watertown; Dennis (Lois) Ries of Pierre; Sandra (Randy) Parkin of Florence; Kenneth (JoAnn) Ries of Clear Lake; Pamela (Brent) Schamens of Watertown and Kayleen (Rodney) Thooft of Brookings; his brother, Vincent Ries of Watertown; his sisters, Donna Hanten and Rita (DuWayne) Mack all of Goodwin; his sister-in-law, Eileen Lindner of Watertown; 19 grandchildren, Jason (Laura) Ries, Amy (Jason) Kjetland, Brian (Amy) Ries, Deric (Jordan) Ries, Todd (Mackenzie) Ries, Lisa (Ryan) Kramer, Stacie (Josh) Swanstrom, Darin (Leah) Ries, Trevor (Missy) Stricherz, Brent (Shanda) Stricherz, Josh (Kristen) Stricherz, Missy (Tom) Eitreim, Chad (Angela) Ries, Paul (Mary) Ries, Natasha (Phillip) Ronke, Seth Schamens, Brett Schamens, Jay Thooft and Alyssa Thooft; and 41 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his twin brothers, Delbert and Duane; brothers-in-law, Donald Lindner, Ronald Lindner, David Lindner and Vernon "Bud" Hanten; and sisters-in-law, Donna Lindner, Gayle Lindner, and JoAnn Ries.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 15, 2019 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. Father Ken Koster will be the celebrant with Brian Ries as organist and Orla Ries and JoEllen Friedrichsen as vocalists.
Interment will be at Holy Rosary Cemetery in Kranzburg.
PLEASE NOTE LOCATION: Visitation will be from 4-7:00 p.m., with a rosary at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 14, 2019 at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
Memorials may be designated to the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, PO Box 166, Kranzburg, SD 57245.
Honorary group will be Donald's granddaughters, Amy Kjetland, Lisa Kramer, Stacie Swanstrom, Missy Eitreim, Natasha Ronke and Alyssa Thooft.
Pallbearers will be Donald's grandsons, Jason Ries, Brian Ries Deric Ries Todd Ries, Darin Ries, Trevor Stricherz, Brent Stricherz, Josh Stricherz, Chad Ries, Paul Ries, Seth Schamens, Brett Schamens and Jay Thooft.
Donald John Ries, the son of Hubert and Nora (Endres) Ries, was born on August 11, 1926 in Watertown, South Dakota. He attended country school through the eighth grade. On September 14, 1950 he married Armella Lindner at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg, South Dakota. The couple farmed in the Kranzburg area and Donald was also very active in rural water development. He helped organize the Sioux Rural Water system set up in Brookings, South Dakota and served on the board for over 13 years. For his dedication in this field he received the "Carol Anderson Award" which is an honorable recognition from the state association. Donald was also employed at Ramkota for 10 years as a security and maintenance person and received Employee of the Year Award. He was a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church and a member of Catholic Order of Foresters for 75 years. The couple had celebrated 68 years of marriage before Donald passed away.
He dearly loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren and enjoyed attending their sports activities. He always had time for his grandchildren. Donald also enjoyed dancing, playing pinochle, and word circle puzzles.
Donald is survived by his wife, Armella of Watertown; his children, Melvin (Orla) Ries of Watertown; Dennis (Lois) Ries of Pierre; Sandra (Randy) Parkin of Florence; Kenneth (JoAnn) Ries of Clear Lake; Pamela (Brent) Schamens of Watertown and Kayleen (Rodney) Thooft of Brookings; his brother, Vincent Ries of Watertown; his sisters, Donna Hanten and Rita (DuWayne) Mack all of Goodwin; his sister-in-law, Eileen Lindner of Watertown; 19 grandchildren, Jason (Laura) Ries, Amy (Jason) Kjetland, Brian (Amy) Ries, Deric (Jordan) Ries, Todd (Mackenzie) Ries, Lisa (Ryan) Kramer, Stacie (Josh) Swanstrom, Darin (Leah) Ries, Trevor (Missy) Stricherz, Brent (Shanda) Stricherz, Josh (Kristen) Stricherz, Missy (Tom) Eitreim, Chad (Angela) Ries, Paul (Mary) Ries, Natasha (Phillip) Ronke, Seth Schamens, Brett Schamens, Jay Thooft and Alyssa Thooft; and 41 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his twin brothers, Delbert and Duane; brothers-in-law, Donald Lindner, Ronald Lindner, David Lindner and Vernon "Bud" Hanten; and sisters-in-law, Donna Lindner, Gayle Lindner, and JoAnn Ries.