Armella Ries

Armella Ries
July 12, 2025
Armella Ries passed away at the age of 96 on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Watertown, SD.
Funeral mass will be 10:30 a.m., with the rosary starting at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 17, 2025 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg, SD with Father Christopher as the celebrant, her grandson, Brian Ries as the organist and JoEllen Friedrichson as the soloist.
Rosary at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at Holy Rosary Church in Kranzburg.
Interment will be in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Kranzburg.
Honorary pallbearers will be Armella's granddaughters, Amy Kjetland, Lisa Kramer, Stacie Swanstrom, Missy Eitreim, Natasha Ronke and Alyssa Bracht.
Pallbearers will Armella's grandsons, Jason Ries, Brian Ries Deric Ries Todd Ries, Darin Ries, Trevor Stricherz, Brent Stricherz, Josh Stricherz, Chad Ries, Paul Ries, Seth Schamens, Brett Schamens and Jay Thooft.
Armella Marie Ries, the daughter of Thomas and Agnes (Heyn) Lindner, was born on April 16, 1929 in Watertown, South Dakota. She attended Holy Rosary School in Kranzburg, South Dakota through the ninth grade. On September 14, 1950 she married Donald John Ries at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kranzburg. The couple farmed in the Kranzburg area where Armella was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and enjoyed being a homemaker. Don passed away February 8, 2019 and then in 2022 Armella moved to Watertown.
She was a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Ladies Altar Society, church choir and the funeral committee. She was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, which in 2001 she won the "Woman of the Year" award. Armella was also a member of the Birthday Club of Goodwin.
She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren and enjoyed attending their sports and other activities. Armella enjoyed baking and making 1000s of Christmas cookies and giving most of them away; but she would always have the cookie container full on the cupboard! She also enjoyed cooking, canning, dancing, reading, playing pinochle, puzzles, pizza; listening to the Minnesota Twins games and in 2019 she met All-Star Player, Tony Oliva.
Armella is survived by her children, Melvin (Orla) Ries of Watertown, Dennis (Lois) Ries of Pierre, Sandra (Randy) Parkin of Watertown, Kenneth (JoAnn) Ries of Clear Lake, Pamela (Brent) Schamens of Watertown and Kayleen (Rodney) Thooft of Brookings; her sister-in-law, Eileen Lindner of Watertown; 19 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald; her brothers, Donald, David and Ronald; her sister, Virginia; great-granddaughter, Birkley Ries; sisters-in-law, Donna Lindner, Gayle Lindner, Donna Hanten and Rita Mack, JoAnn Ries; brothers-in-law Vernon"Bud" Hanten, DuWayne Mack and Vincent Ries.
Arrangements with Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel, in Watertown, www.wightandcomes.com.