Ella O. Reiter

Ella Ovidia Reiter celebrated and cherished life's journey for 102 years. On June 9th, 2008, in peace and confidence, she passed on to her heavenly home.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 16th at 1 PM at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island, MN with Reverend Kip Groettum officiating. Visitation will be Sunday, June 15th from 6-8 PM at the Mahn Funeral Home Mahler Chapel in Pine Island and one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial will follow in the Pine Island Cemetery.
Ella was born in Hesper, IA on October 4th, 1905 to Burre and Hilda (Thingvold) Burreson. She was baptized and confirmed at Hesper Lutheran Church in Hesper. She attended schools in Mabel, MN and Decorah, IA. and graduated from Decorah High School with the Class of 1923. Ella strongly believed in higher education and graduated from St. Olaf College in 1927 with a BA in Education. She taught school in Laporte and New London, MN. In 1931, Ella moved to Pine Island, MN to teach at the high school. She later met Harold Reiter, a widowed grocer with a young son, and they married on August 19th, 1943. Ella later adopted Duane.
Ella treasured her teaching career. Past students have voiced appreciation for Ella's firm teaching style and dedication to learning. She directed class plays, was advisor for the yearbooks and taught many subjects including geometry, business and typing. She retired from teaching in 1957 but continued to be active in the Pine Haven Nursing Home Auxiliary, the Saint Paul Lutheran Church Auxiliary and as a frequent host of bridge parties in her home. Ella also had a passion for reading books. It was not unusual for her to read several novels each week. In addition, music was a much loved part of her life. She played the piano often, and continued to play through the years--the last being on Mother's Day 2008.
After her husband's death in 1992, Ella lived in her own home until age 96 when she moved to Goldfinch Estates, an assisted living apartment in Fairmont, MN. She was closer to her family and was able to take car rides for ice cream, have picnics with her great-grandchildren and listen to concerts in the park. She was briefly hospitalized and moved to Valley Vue Care Center in Armstrong, IA just prior to her death.
Ella is survived by her daughter-in-law, Lorraine Reiter of Fairmont, MN.; two grandsons: Dr. Blake Reiter and his wife, Becky, of Bainbridge Island, WA and Dr. Mark Reiter and his wife, Ilene, of Fairmont, MN; one granddaughter, Kathryn Mason and her husband, Jim, of Eden Prairie, MN; seven great-grandchildren: Jessica, Nicholas, Jacob, Andrew and Daniel Reiter and Sydney Anne and Carter Mason; many nieces and nephews. In addition to her father and mother, Burre and Hilda, Ella was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her son, Duane; infant great-granddaughter, Jennifer Reiter; sisters: Selma Sorlien, Agnes Wennes and Hazel Dahlquist, and one infant brother.
Ella's life was rich with family and friends. She was a gracious and lovely lady whose life was blessed in so many ways. Her jovial laugh and appreciation for coffee and desserts will be good memories and we will always remember her saying "Isn't it wonderful?"
Indeed, her life was!
Memorials may be directed to Saint Paul Lutheran Church, the Pine Island Library or the Pine Island Area Historical Society.