Esther Tweeten and Milburn Rydson Family Esther 1904-1974 & Milburn 1902- 1996
Esther Thurine Tweeten Rydson was born March 4, 1904, at the home of her parents on the farm in Mt. Valley Township. She was a 1921, graduate of Forest City High School. Her sister Ruth was married in 1922, which left Esther as cook and housekeeper for family at home. She also was a member of Waldorf College Choir being a member of the church choir. On February 20, 1926, she was married to Milburn Rydson at Mason City, Iowa, at the Lutheran Parsonage by Rev. Oliva Wigdahl. Milburn is the son of Charlie and Nellie (Johnson) Rydson and born September 19, 1902, at Starks, Nebraska. Milburn and Esther farmed in the Britt area until 1941, when they moved into Britt. Esther loved to play the piano and played a lot by ear. She served as church organist at the First Lutheran Church in Britt for several years. Milburn did a lot of carpenter work until he retired and they lived in the home they purchased. Milburn has lived in this home until he recently moved to an apartment and now resides. Esther passed away August 21, 1974, at a Mason City hospital of cancer at the age of 70. She is buried at Britt Cemetery. They have one son:
- Marlyn Dean Rydson was born October 30, 1930, at Britt, Iowa. Marlyn graduated from Britt High School and the University of Iowa. He joined the Sears Management Program and was sent to Elkhart to manage the Sears Store. Laura Turneer was a native of Elkhart and graduated from Northwestern University in 1961, was living at home and teaching English at Mishawaha High School. We met on a blind date and we were married six months later. Marlyn owned and operated a mortgage company for twenty years. He now owns a real estate agency and an insurance agency. Laura Turner and Marlyn were married July 21, 1962, at Elkhart. Marlyn has developed two sub-divisions in Elkhart. He served seven years on the Re-development Commission, two terms as President of the Board of Realtors, and ten years as a Director of Multiple Listing Service and the Board of Realtors. He was chosen Realtor of the year in1985, Planning Commission, the Metro Planning Commission, the Board of the Salvation Army, and the Finance Committee of our Zion Lutheran Church. I do a great deal of volunteer work. I am a Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A) for Juvenile Court of Elkhart. As a C.A.S.A., I investigate cases of child abuse for the court, and advocate for the rights of the abused children in court. I serve on the boards of Child Abuse Prevention Services in Elkhart County Community Foundation. I am on the Christian Education Committee of our church and I give programs for ladies’ groups in the area.
Our special interest is travel. Last year, (1989), we had a most interesting two weeks in China: Hong Kong, Beijing, and Guilin. We fell in love with the Chinese people! This August we are going on a three-week tour of Scandinavia and the Soviet Union. The official tour ends in
Copenhagen. Then Marly and I are going to fly to Malmo, Sweden, rent a car and drive to Ryd, the town from which Marly’s great-grandfather emigrated to America.
Marlyn died in 2024 and Laura in 1992.