Home Page

Obituary Posted Online: 11/5/02

Amanda Rysdam

Funeral services were held November 2, 2002 for Amanda Rysdam 84, of Braham, at Maple Ridge Ev. Free Church with Pastor Mark Huber officiating. Music was provided by organist Dorothy Gerdin and vocalists Lawrence Olson and Mr. and Mrs. Bluhm. Pallbearers were Ralph Joy, Wayne Stromback, Mark Bistodeau, Lowell Burkstrand, Steve Johnson, Peter Miller and Rick Nystrom. Honorary pallbearers were Amanda's grandchildren. Interment was in the Maple Ridge Ev. Free Church Cemetery.

Amanda (Harmanna Boomgaarden) Rysdam was born in Midland Twp., Lyon Cty., Iowa March 11, 1918 to William and Susie Boomgaarden. She grew up with one sister and four brothers. She was raised on a farm and always preferred the country as a place to live. She learned how to work hard and live frugally. In 1926 she moved with the family to Holland and attended country school through the 8th grade. On December 20, 1933, in the depth of the Depression, she married John Rysdam. They lived in Pipestone. (When she talked of these times later it was with nostalgic fondness.) She remembers how people pulled together and helped each other out. In 1949 they moved to the Lewis Lake/Ogilvie area and farmed until 1963 when they moved to the Braham area. In 1978 she moved into Braham after her husband John died. She lived there until February 2001, when she had her first stroke and moved to Happy Tracks, an elderly foster care home in North Branch. Amanda lived her life for her children and grandchildren and she had many to keep track of. Her collection of teapots and teacups has been dispersed to many of them with the hope that they will carry on her love and gift of spending time with people and remembering the small important things in life. She had a big hobby of growing flowers and loved to share these with others. Throughout her life she farmed, gardened and canned food for her family. She raised rabbits and had hobbies that included making Christmas decorations and quilts.

She died October 29, 2002, at the Cambridge Medical Center after a sudden and brief illness.

She was preceded in death by her husband John; brothers, Ralph, Bill and Jacob: sister Effie Mae, and great grandchildren Kristina Marie Stromback, Kyle Westerman and Josephine Nordeen.

She is survived by sons, Ronald (Dorothy) Rysdam of Maple Ridge; Richard (Doris) Rysdam of Pine City; Randy (Jeanette) Rysdam of Big Lake; daughters, Marie (Ralph) Joy of Oakdale, MN; Annette (Lowell) Burkstrand of Braham, Dianna (Wayne) Stromback of New Hope, MN, Sharon (Stephen) Johnson of Cedar, MN, Patricia Rysdam and husband Peter Miller of Duluth, Deborah (Rick) Nystrom of Andover, MN, Roberta (Mark) Bistodeau of Clear Lake, MN; 30 grandchildren; 29 great grandchildren; one great great grandson; 1 brother Benjamin (Mary) Boomgaarden of Vermillion, SD; sister Anje Giffrow of Stanchfield; sisters-in-law, Leona Boomgaarden of Ruthton, MN, Dorothy Boomgaarden of Hawarden, Iowa.

Arrangements by Rock Mankie Burial and Cremation Service of Braham.