Wanda I. Risbeck

Wanda Irene Lewis was the youngest of four daughters born to Virgil and Edith Mae (Werts) Lewis on October 8, 1931, on a farm near Russell, Iowa, in Lucas County.

She was educated at the LaGrange Rural School and graduated from Chariton High School with the Class of 1950. She attended two years at the N.E. Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville, Missouri.

On July 23, 1953, she married her High School Sweetheart, Richard James Risbeck. To this union, three sons were born, Greg, Kent, and Jeff. The family lived on an acreage in West Des Moines, Iowa for thirty five years where they raised their family.

Wanda retired in 1994 after 14 years as an Administrative Assistant at the National Education Center in West Des Moines. She and Richard then moved to their farm South of Chariton, Iowa. During retirement, they enjoyed dancing at local dances and Jam Sessions, traveling, and cruising. She liked gardening, sewing, and crocheting and was a member of the Chariton Women’s Club, Martha Circle and the group of the 1950”s graduating class. She and Richard were members of the Chariton Methodist Church.

Wanda is survived by her three sons, Greg and wife Diana of Chariton, Iowa, Kent and wife Robin of Norwalk, Iowa and Jeff and wife Nancy of Guntersville, Alabama. Six grand-daughters, six step grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and seventeen step great grandchildren. One sister, Louise Thacker of Aurora, Colorado, and four nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, of 64 years, her parents Virgil and Edith Lewis, two sisters, Helen Carl and Margaret Beman, two nephews, and one niece.

Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church in Chariton, Iowa.

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