My wonderful mother, Ione (Peterson) Rath (98) was called to her heavenly home on Friday, February 2, 2018. She was a resident at the Garrison Hospital Nursing Facility, Garrison ND.

Celebration of Ione's life will be held on Wednesday, February 7, at 10:30 am at Trinity Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesday evening at the church followed by a time of singing Ione's favorite hymns at 7:00 pm. Burial will be at the Turtle Lake Cemetery.

Ione, the youngest of thirteen children, was born December 10, 1919 at the family farm near Turtle Lake, ND to Theodore and Laura (Anderson) Peterson. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, rural Turtle Lake. Ione married Herbert Rath on October 6, l940. They farmed in the Turtle Lake area and later purchased a farm south of Mercer, ND. In l981 they retired and moved into a new home in Turtle Lake. They were married 54 years when husband Herbert died April 2, 1994. They had one daughter, Dianne (Rath) Herr.

At the young age of thirteen, Ione's love of music motivated her to learn how to play the old pump organ at their home. The first song she learned to play was "Jesus, Lover of My Soul". At the age of seventeen she began her fifty plus years of being a church organist. Her musical talents also including singing and playing for many weddings, funerals and community choirs. She lived the life of a Christian, always willing to teach Sunday School, lead Bible Study at Sarah Circle, sing for church and community events, helped the ladies make quilts for missions and was a Girl Scout leader and an active volunteer in the community. In the later years she baked cookies for the Sunday School children each week and was lovingly referred to as the "Cookie Lady".

Ione had many hobbies including a large garden. She enjoyed weaving rugs, giving most of them to family members as gifts. She also crocheted beautiful doilies and afghans.   Even while at the nursing home she continued sewing blocks for quilts. Most recently she enjoyed reading, especially books by Laura Snelling and listening to the beautiful tenor voice of Danny O'Donnell.   She appreciated the loving care and friendship of the staff at the Nursing Home during these last eleven years.

She is survived by her daughter, Dianne Herr of Turtle Lake, brother-in-law Fred Rath and wife Dorothy of Turtle Lake and sister-in-law Bertha Rath of Bismarck and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Herbert, son-in-law R. Ray Herr, brothers Harry, Carl, Arthur, and Clarence; her sisters Mabel Peterson, Edna Bergo, Myrtle Mathews, Rachel Miller, Arla Peterson, Effie Brown, Irene Brown and an infant still born baby girl.

The family prefers memorials to Trinity Lutheran Church, Turtle Lake or Camp of the Cross Ministries, Garrison or charity of donor's choice.