Obituary: Helmer J. Spilde

Obituary. Helmer J. Spilde. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Helmer J. Spilde Funeral Services Held Friday

Funeral services for Helmer J. Spilde, 80, of 307 Day street in Decorah were held Friday morning, July 14, at First Lutheran Church. Mr. Spilde, who was a retired construction worker and a lifelong resident of the county and Decorah, died July 11 at the Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse. He had been ill for several weeks.

Pastor Paul H. Christenson conducted final rites at the church and the Lutheran Cemetery. Pallbearers were Iver Spilde, Harold Spilde, Floyd Seegmiller, Myron Riste, Harley Fagerlie, and Leon Williams. Mrs. Paul H. Christenson was organist and accompanied the congregation as they sang hymns. Mrs. Carsten Erickson and Mrs. Telford Seegmiller were in charge of the floral memorials.

Funeral arrangements were by Steine Funeral Home.

Mr. Spilde was born March 3, 1892 in Canoe Township where he attended rural schools. He was married to the former Alma Williams in Decorah March 6, 1918. He is survived by his wife; a daughter Mrs. Harold (Norma) Smith of Medelia, Minn.; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Henry Spilde, Decorah, and a sister, Mrs. Nellie Rassmussen, Grand Rapids, Minn. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Mr. Spilde served in World War I and was a member of First Lutheran Church.

Obituary: Alma V. (WILLIAMS) Spilde

Obituary. Alma V. (WILLIAMS) Spilde. Decorah Journal (3 Oct 1985). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Alma V. Spilde

Funeral services for Alma V. Spilde, 91, of Decorah, are today at 1:30 p.m. at First Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Spilde died Monday at the Aase Haugen Home in Decorah.

Pastor Glenn L. Borreson will conduct the services. Organist is Helen Haatvedt, accompanying soloist, H. O. Christen. Steine's Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements, and burial is in the Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation is at the funeral home this morning and at the church from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Pallbearers are Carleton Fagerlie, Harley Fagerlie, Mike Riste, Bernard Williams, Leon Williams and Richard Williams.

Alma V. Williams was born April 10, 1894, in Glenwood Township, a daughter of Sigvart and Mathilda (Huseby) Williams. She attended rural schools and married Helmer Spilde on March 6, 1918. She was a member of the Lutheran Church.

Survivors include a daughter Norma Smith of Minneapolis; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one brother, George Williams of Decorah.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters and eight brothers.

Descendants of Norma Frances Spilde (1924-2006)

Descendants chart. Norma Frances Spilde (1924-2006). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

Adolph and Myrtle (WILLIAMS) Riste

Wedding Portrait. Adolph and Myrtle (WILLIAMS) Riste (30 Oct 1917). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Jennie Myrtle WILLIAMS

Details of Myrtle WILLIAMS from Sigvart WILLIAMS family at 302 E. Broadway and Sigvart and Mathilda WILLIAMS family portrait. Images courtesy of Verla Williams.

Obituary and Gravestone: Adolph Gerhard Riste

Obituary. Adolph Gerhard Riste (1892-1962). Freeport Cemetery Book. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Adolph Gerhard Riste was born August 5, 1892 at Clear Lake, Iowa, the son of Knute N. Riste and Emma Schnrug [sic] (and later married Kirkbride). From the Methodist Church records in Decorah is married Harriet Kirkland on May 18, 1916 by Rev. Lackland and became a full member of the Methodist Church December 5, 1916. Adolph married Jennie Myrtle Williams (daughter of Sigvart and Mathilda (Huseby) Williams). They were blessed with three children, Violet married Ryan, Myron and Richard (who died 1931). Adolph and Jennie were divorced and Adolph married Esther Noecker. He died November 28, 1962 at the Winneshiek County Home where he had lived for 21 months of pneumonia. Funeral services were at the First Lutheran Church by Rev. S. O. Sorlien December 1 and burial was in the Freeport Pleasant Valley Cemetery beside his first wife and his son Richard.


Gravestone. Adolph G. (1892-1962) and Esther C. (Noecker) Riste (1916-1989). Freeport Cemetery. Image courtesy of Iowa Gravestone Photo Project.

Obituary: Jennie Myrtle (WILLIAMS) Riste

Obituary. Jennie Myrtle (WILLIAMS) Riste (1896-1984). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Rites held for Myrtle Riste, 88

Funeral services for Myrtle Riste, 88, of Decorah, were held Saturday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Decorah.

Mrs. Riste died May 24 at the Aase Haugen Home.

Pastor Paul H. Christenson conducted the services. William Kuhlman was organist, accompanying congregational singing.

Steine's Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements, with burial in the Lutheran Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Lawrence DeGreve, Carlton Fagerlie, Harley Fagerlie, Robert A. Koepp, Jim Steine and Bernard Williams.

Myrtle Williams was born March 6, 1896 in Glenwood Township to the late Sigvart and Mathilda (Huseby) Williams. She was educated in rural schools of Glenwood Township and married Adolph Riste. He preceded here in death.

Survivors include two children, Myron Riste of Dubuque and Violet Ryan of Oelwein; a brother, George Williams of Decorah; two sisters, Nellie Fagerlie of Decorah and Alma Spilde of Decorah; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son Richard Riste, and eight brothers and sisters.

She was a member of First Lutheran Church.

Descendants of Myrtle (WILLIAMS) Riste (1896-1984)

Descendants chart. Jennie Myrtle (WILLIAMS) Riste (1896-1984). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

George and Devillo WILLIAMS

Wedding portrait. George and Devillo (Sibert) WILLIAMS (30 Jun 1923). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Jim Diederich has a copy of this picture on his website that was not damaged and has graciously allowed me to repost it below.


Wedding portrait. George and Devillo (Sibert) WILLIAMS (30 Jun 1923). Image courtesy of Jim Diederich [4FamilyPictures.com].

Confirmation: George A. WILLIAMS

Confirmation portrait. George A. Williams (c. 1914). Image courtesy of Jim Diederich [4FamilyPictures.com].