Steve Rye

1952 - 2025

Steve Rye

September 5, 1952 - March 24, 2025

With hearts filled with both sorrow and the comfort of eternal life, we announce the peaceful passing of Steve Patrick Rye on March 24, 2025, at the age of 72, with his loving wife and daughters by his side.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 3, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 North Pennsylvania Ave, Mason City, IA 50401. He will be laid to rest at Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery in Mason City. Visitation will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels, 126 3rd St. NE, Mason City, IA 50401.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorials be dedicated to the Humane Society of North Iowa.

Steve's family is so grateful for the compassionate care given to Steve by the staff at Good Shepherd Memory Care and St. Croix Hospice.

Steve was born September 5, 1952, to Thomas and Claudia (Mills) Rye. He was the fifth of seven children in the family. He attended St. Joseph and Newman Schools and graduated from Mason City High School in 1970. He worked at Wehrman Optical in Marshalltown for a year before joining the Air Force, spending time at Patrick AB, Florida, and Ramstein AB, Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1975. Steve attended Hawkeye Institute of Technology in the Photography program and purchased Art Reynolds Photography in Charles City's Cedar Mall in 1977 and later Gerard Photography in Mason City, eventually selling the Charles City studio. Steve and Vicky became Realtors in 1989, while continuing to operate the photography studio. Steve also studied real estate appraisal and became a certified real estate appraiser. He then acquired his broker license, and they opened Rye Realty. This business closed in 2013 due to Steve's health.

Steve met Victoria Pederson in May 1971 before going into the Air Force. They were united in marriage in September 1972 in Lake Mills. They lived in Florida and Germany before Steve was discharged. They purchased their business and home in Charles City in 1977. Their daughter Sara was born in 1979, and Rachel was born in 1981. The family moved to Mason City in August 1983.

Steve was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City, where he served on the Finance Committee for several years. Previously they belonged to St. John Lutheran Church in Charles City. Steve was also a member of the Kiwanis Club in Charles City, Charles City Jaycees, and was a long time member of the Chamber of Commerce. He served as President of the Mason City Board of Directors and belonged to the national and state realtor organizations.

Family was always important to Steve. He was so proud when both Sara and Rachel earned their college degrees. He loved spending time with all of us, and we loved listening to Steve tell his stories. It was so sad when he quit telling his stories. The heavy metal poisoning he was exposed to when he was young and in the military was to eventually end in dementia and the loss of our wonderful husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, and brother.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 53 years, Vicky; daughters, Sara (Jacob) Cook and Rachel (Ryan) Torkelson; grandchildren, Kaitlyn (Colby) Schriever, Adriana Rye, Eric Pals, Weston Thomas, Tyler Torkelson, Treyton (Jenna) Torkelson, and Trevor (Tavros) Torkelson; great-grandchildren, Tybo Schriever, Zariea Torkelson, Zayla Torkelson, and Atticus Torkelson; siblings, Sue (Dan) Hayes, Bob (Linda) Rye, Bill (Cherie) Rye, Chris (Julie) Rye, Julie (Martin) Meindl, and Jennifer Ramaeker; brother-in-law, Gary (Cindy) Pederson; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Thomas and Claudia; mother and father-in-law, Raymond and Ruth Pederson; grandson, Logan Ray Lester; sister-in-law, Jackie Rye; aunts, Mary Rigdon and Pat Hofler; uncles, Don Mills and Jim Mills; nephews, Danny Eatman and Mike Reindl; and several cousins.

Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapels

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(641) 423-2372