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Mabel Ridder

1908 - 1999

Mason City - Mabel Ridder, 91, of Mason City, passed away Saturday (June 5, 1999) at the Belmond Community Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, Garner, with the Rev. Bob Pinkerton officiating. Interment will be in Ell Township Cemetery, Klemme. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Cataldo Funeral Home, Garner.

Mabel Lillian Fern Ridder, the daughter of Edward J. and Mary (Suckow) Schaefer, was born March 28, 1908, at Liberty Township, west of Klemme. She graduated from Klemme High School in 1926, as valedictorian. She attended Cedar Falls College, and in 1928, began teaching at Liberty Township No. 8. Mabel attended college each summer and graduated from the Elementary Education course. From 1929 to 1930, she taught at Liberty Township No. 5, and from 1931 to 1932, she taught fifth and sixth grade at Meservey. From 1933 to 1937, she taught at Rowan.

On March 18, 1937, she was married to Herold E. Ridder on top of the tower at Pilot Knob State Park at Forest City, by her uncle, Rev. William Suckow, minister of the Congregational Church in Forest City. They farmed from 1937 to 1971, south of Nora Springs. From 1971 to 1975, they lived and worked at the Christian Defenders' Townhouse in Harrison, Ark. In 1975, they moved to the Prairie View Apartments, where she worked part-time in the kitchen and dining room. She moved to Mason City in 1992, residing at Willow Pointe. Mabel and Herold had been active members of the Methodist Church in Nora Springs, and the Baptist Church while in Arkansas. She enjoyed visiting with her family and friends and sending and receiving letters in the mail.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Gertrude Beier of Garner; many nieces and nephews, and a special grand-niece, Nola Waddingham and her husband, Arlan, of Meservey.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Herold, on Aug. 13, 1984; a daughter, Charlene Marie, who died in infancy; parents; and three brothers, Benjamin Schaefer in World War I, Roy I. Schaefer, and Elmer Schaefer. Cataldo Funeral Home.

source: Mason City Globe Gazette, 6 Jun 1999

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