Lenore Ryder

Ryder Lenore (nee Dittman) September 22, 1922 ~ December 21, 2018 Preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Norman “Jake”, son Daniel, parents Edward & Louise (Walther), sister & brother-in-law Norma & Norman “Pete” Swanson. Survived by loving son Nick (Therese) Ryder, step-son Robert Elsen, special niece Patricia (Del) Carlson, grandniece Heather (Sean) Kelly, grandnephew Chad (Lynn) Carlson and great grand nieces Cameron Kelly, Olivia & Caitlyn Carlson; great grand nephew Cody Carlson; many cousins, nieces & nephews. For 62 years, Lenore and her family owned Woodland Beach Resort on Bay Lake. Service Monday, January 7, 2019 at 11:00 am at CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1945 Prosperity Road, Maplewood with visitation one hour before the service. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Life Story for Lenore Lenore was born on Sept. 22, 1922. She grew up in West St. Paul, where her father owned Cherokee Heights Grocery. She attended 1st grade at Dodd School and from 2nd until 8th grade at Trinity Lone Oak School in Eagan, where her grandfather, the Reverend C.F. Walther was the Pastor and also taught math and confirmation classes every morning to the 7th and 8th grades. She went to Sibley Jr. High for 9th grade and graduated from Humboldt High School. She attended the U of MN with the dream of becoming a teacher. WW2 changed all that. She met Jake. He was a dashing football and Track star at the U on scholarship. He was drafted into the Army at the start of the war. Following him to Fort Benning Ga. They were married for 2 days before he was sent to Africa as a replacement to the 82nd Airborne Division. He was gone for 3 years. Upon his return, at the urging of her Uncle Arnold, who was the superintendent of the Ramsey County Poor Farm, they moved to Gladstone and built a home on Frost Ave. The back of the lot was still part of the Ramsey County Farm. They stayed their entire lives and raised their 2 sons. They joined Cross Lutheran Church. Lenore was a cook’s helper when needed, substitute teacher for 1st and 2nd grades and helped with activities. She drove a school bus for 10 years. They lost their son Dan in 1965 and her father in 1967 at which time she joined her Mother at the Resort. That lasted 35 years. After they sold the Resort, she and Jake were very fortunate to be able to spend some time in the winter with her sister and family in Maryland and Florida. She was very thankful for the friendship of Pastor Bob, his wife Michele and daughter Katie, Pastor Amy and her extended church family.