Betty Jean Ristvedt

Our beautiful, kind, and loving mother Betty Jean Ristvedt faithfully finished her 92 years of earthly work and went home to heaven on Friday, June 12, 2026. Mom, daughter of Elsie Anna Emma (Strey) and Adolph Walter Knobloch, grew up in the oil fields outside Kingsbury, TX. She was baptized and confirmed at Evangelists Lutheran Church in Kingsbury, played basketball for Dowdy High School, and took piano lessons in Seguin.

Mom moved to San Antonio after graduation and attended Durham Business School. She was employed at Kelly Air Force Base as a clerk typist for the flight surgeon. She met James Ristvedt, an A & P mechanic at Lackland AFB, at St. Paul Lutheran Church where they sang in the choir and attended Walther League. They married in 1958. After much prayer, they made the move to Springfield, Illinois so James could attend Concordia Theological Seminary to become a pastor. While there they welcomed their first three children and also spent a vicarage year in Danbury, CT.

Although their hearts were prepared for mission work in Africa, dangerous political unrest sent them instead to mission work in Picayune, MS in 1965. Here, she was not only a stay-at-home mom to now four children but also worked alongside Dad to labor with love to plant a mission congregation.

The ministry led our family then to Lutheran congregations in Littlefield, TX, Wisner, NE, and Denison, IA. James and Betty returned to Texas, where they served churches in Kingsbury, New Braunfels, Tennessee Colony, and Palestine.

Life as a pastor’s wife was not always easy but Mom’s faith kept her strong and kind. She played the organ, taught Sunday School, led Vacation Bible School, and served in Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. From healthy meals and sewing clothes to literally defending us from scorpions and snakes, Mom was a devoted servant and protector in so many ways. She was known for her wisdom, patience and kindness. Her love of Jesus led her to giving food to strangers who knocked on our front door.

Mom loved her family and was a good friend to everyone she met. She was a champion of the faith, always pointing others to trusting Jesus.

Betty and James were married 63 years. She is preceded in death by her husband, son Nathan, an infant daughter, and brother Adee. She is survived by Cynthia (Waldemar) Vinovskis, daughter-in-law Nellie, Jennifer Ristvedt-Hille, and Phillip (Jessica), grandchildren Carissa (Kristaps) Birznieks, Micah Vinovskis, Noel Vinovskis (Amy), and Oliver Vinovskis; Naomi Ristvedt, Joel Ristvedt (Karle), Caleb Ristvedt, and Tabitha Ristvedt; Anika Hille, Aidan (Rosalyn) Hille; Nolan Ristvedt, and six great-grandchildren.

Visitation is at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 18th, at Zion Lutheran Church 14205 Ida Street, Omaha, NE, 68142. Funeral service is at 10:30 a.m.; luncheon following. Committal at The Omaha National Cemetery Tuesday, June 23, 10:00 a.m. Flowers and memorials will be directed by the family.