Naomi K. Ressler, 89

Published 10:43 am Thursday, April 10, 2014

Naomi K. Ressler, 89, of Elkton died Tuesday, April 8, 2014, at Mitchell County Regional Medical Center, Osage, Iowa.

Ressler

Naomi Kratz Derstein was born June 13, 1924, in Hatfield, Penn.; to Wallace and Mary Ellen (Kratz) Derstein. She grew up in Hatfield, and graduated from Hatfield High School. She earned her nursing degree at Grand View Hospital, and worked in a clinic in Harmon, W.V. Naomi then went to France to work as a registered nurse in a children’s home for the Mennonite Central Committee. Naomi returned to the United States and earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va.; while continuing to work.

On July 24, 1954, she was united in marriage to John Ressler in Lansdale, Penn. Naomi worked as an R.N. at York Hospital in Pennsylvania, and the couple farmed in Pennsylvania for 16 years before moving to Minnesota in 1974. In Austin, Naomi worked as an R.N. at St. Olaf Hospital for 13 years, and she and John farmed near Elkton.

In February 2006, they moved to Cedar Court Apartments in Adams, Minn., and then back to their son’s farm in 2008. Naomi was a hard worker who enjoyed her career as a nurse, and in her free time she enjoyed reading. John passed away Aug. 4, 2012.

Survivors include her children John Ray (Lisa) Ressler of Elkton, Minn.; Mary Ellen (David) Dreher of Millville, Minn.; Timothy Lee (Karen) Ressler of Free Union, Va.; eight grandchildren; sisters Ruth (Earl) Alderfer, Esther (David) Freisen, and Mary Derstein, all of Pennsylvania; Miriam Miller of Colorado; Martha (Wayne) Marcho of Pennsylvania; and Rachael (Chip) Leatherman of Virginia; sisters-in-law Diu Derstine of Canada; Lois Derstein and Ruth Ann Derstein, both of Pennsylvania. She was preceded in death by her parents Wallace and Mary Ellen Derstein, her husband John Ressler, five brothers Harvey, Nelson, Henry, Paul, and Wally, and her step-mother Emma Gross.

Funeral services will be held at the Pleasant View Mennonite Church in North Lawrence, Ohio on Monday, April 14, 2014. Visitation will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 11, 2014, at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin. Memorials in Naomi’s honor can be directed to recipient of donor’s choice, or to the Ressler family. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.