Mary Ryberg

Mary Louise Ryberg (age 91) passed away on April 29 at St Mary's Hospital.

Mary was born on June 3, 1934 to Charlton and Agnes Danielson in Kenyon, Minnesota. She attended country school and graduated from Kenyon High School in 1952. Mary was always reading and would have 3 books going at the same time. As a kid, she would wash the floor in a pattern to back herself into a corner so she could read while the floor dried around her.

Following High School she was employed by Federated Mutual Ins Co in Owatonna and then at Olmsted County Welfare. She also worked for the Fisher Oil Company in Rochester and was recognized as Rochester's Most Courteous Person.

Singing was a passion for her. She sang at Funerals at age 4. In High School she sang in a Girls Sextet & Glee Club and in 1955 formed a Sweet Adeline Quartet - the Melo-Dettes, that sang 200 performances in one year. The Quartet won the talent contest at the Steele County Fair and went on to qualify to sing on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour on national TV in June of 1956.

In 1957 she joined Minneapolis City of Lakes Sweet Adeline Chorus and in 1966 was the co-founder of Rochester Sweet Adelines chorus where she became known as "Mother Mary". She served as President, Vice President, Secretary as well as Assistant Director and in 1973 she received the SALLY award (Sweet Adeline Leading Lady Of The Year).

She was active at the Sweet Adeline Regional level and was Chairman of two (2) Region Sweet Adeline Conventions held in Rochester. She was also a member of the DOES (Elks) and served as musician as well as being the Supreme (President). Through the years she sang in a 6 or 8 different Quartets and at one time sang Tenor in 2 Quartets at the same time.

She enjoyed reading and besides being a reader at Church on Sundays she also had reading groups at 3 Nursing Homes where she would take Cricket, the family Cocker Spaniel with her and the patients would pet the dog as she read Little House On The Prairie to the residents.

In 1956 was united in marriage to Del Ryberg and would have celebrated 69 years in September. They had 2 children, Karen Howard and Carol Jaquith (Mike Watson). Del and Mary traveled the US making it to 42 States and 3 Provinces in Canada, plus 2 trips to Europe including: England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy. They also enjoyed boating and the annual trips to Woman Lake Lodge at Haackensack in the summer and in the winter snowmobiling to northern Wisconsin.

In recent years she had Macular Degeneration which took away a lot of her independence as she lost her eyesight but never once complained.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Wayne and Adrian.

A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester, MN. Visitation will be 4-7pm on Friday, May 2, 2025 at the funeral home as well as one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Oronoco Cemetery.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Ryberg family. To share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com.