Joseph "Joe" Ryant

Joe Ryant, age 84, of Spillville died Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at the Cresco Care Center in Cresco, IA. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, IA. Rev. Donald Hawes will be presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday, January 28, from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Balik Funeral Home in Spillville with a rosary at 4:00 and scripture service 5:00 there will also be visitation after 9:00 at the Funeral Home on Saturday In Lieu of flowers Memorials may be given to St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville or Winneshiek Co. Hospice. Joseph “Joe” Anthony Ryant, was born on March 1, 1926, the son of Frank and Mary (Pizinger) Ryant, on a farm near Fort Atkinson, IA. At one year of age, the family moved northwest of Spillville. He attended rural country school for two years and then St. Wenceslaus Catholic School thru the eighth grade. He farmed with his father for several years. After the early death of his father, he and his mother farmed together. Joe married Romana Zeien, on October 17, 1950, at North Washington, IA. Together they farmed for thirty-seven years and moved into Spillville in 1988, where they still reside. Joe served on the Winneshiek County Extension Council for two terms. He was the first farmer in the area to own a round baler and was the first to introduce Charolais cattle to the area. Joe was a member of Branch #33, of the Catholic Workman and served as president for six years. He also sold insurance for them for many years. Joe and Romana were sales representatives for Furst McNess for twenty years. Joe’s survivors include his wife: Romana Ryant of sixty years, Spillville, IA. Three daughters: Pat Pinter, Cresco, IA; Judy (Richard) Jessen, Ankeny, IA; and Karen (Michal) Hutzel, Mason City, IA. Three sons: Francis (Donna) Ryant, Cresco, IA; James (Denise) Spillville, IA; and Gary (Jane) Ryant, Ridgeway, IA. Sixteen grandchildren: Jeff Hulsebus, Dawn (Othello) Rollon, Dana (Joe) Karasek, Chad (Kristin) Pinter, Shane (Elisa) Pinter, Sara (Noah) Parr, Anne (Carl) Piper, Chris (Bonnie) Jessen, Michelle, Mark, & Monica Ryant, Ashten & Zachariah Frana, Chezny Ryant, Jacob & Jennifer Hutzel. Fifteen great-grandchildren: Amber Burkhart, Clay & Zoe Rollon, Kennedy & Kali Karasek, Alexa, Brianna, & Ciara Pinter, Michaela, Josephine & Kathryn Pinter, Konner & Caleb Parr, Grace & Grant Jessen. Two brothers-in-law: Louis (Lucille) Zeien & Francis (Rita) Zeien, both of New Hampton, IA, and Vincent (Toddy) Zeien, Ionia, IA. One sister-in-law: Agnes Brincks, New Hampton, IA. Joe was preceded in death by his son: John on April 18, 1982. His parents: Frank Ryant in 1945 and Mary Ryant in 1978. Three brothers: Alois Ryant in 1977, Ernest Ryant in 1998 and Edward Ryant in 1993. One son-in-law: Joe Pinter 2007. Three brothers-in-law: Alvin Zeien, Elmer Zeien and Guido Brincks.