Obituary of Ria Magdalena Viebahn

Ria Magdalena Viebahn, 84, of Cloquet passed away on Monday, September 27, 2004 in Duluth. She was married to Hubert Earl Viebahn from Aitkin, MN. He passed away on July 9, 2002. She was born in Bad-Kissingen, Germany, Bavarian on November 14, 1919. She had two sisters, Marga and Dora. Marga is still living in Germany. After she graduated from high school, Ria went on to the Fort Gnilding School for two years for bookkeeping and accounting. She also studied the English language for one year (like she had known her future.) When she was 21 years old, Ria was drafted into the German Air Force for teletype operation and was promoted to corporal. For two and a half years she was in Poland, Riga and Holland. She got back to Bad-Kissingen Germany on a big ship. In her hometown of Bad-Kissingen, the American Military opened a headquarters also for teletype operation, where Ria got the same job. That's where she met Hubert, whom she married after two years and together they had their first son, Victor. A year and a half later a military airplane flew them to New York from where they rode the train to St. Paul and then to Aitkin. They moved to Cloquet when Hubert got a job at Potlatch Paper Co. Ria worked in the city clerk's office as assistant city clerk for 14 years. Later she decided to travel and see more of the United States and the country she loved. She also enjoyed spending time with her family at their lake home in Grand Rapids. She was a happy person who was very proud of her children and grandchildren. Ria is survived by her children, Victor (Colleen Carlson) Viebahn of Cloquet, Dolores (Glen) Anderson of Shakopee, Gary (Elisabeth) Viebahn of Ann Arbor, MI, and Rick (Linda) Viebahn of Burbank, CA; grandchildren, Todd (Diane), Derek, Kevin, Sara, Jake, Abbey, Nicholas, Eric, Laura, Patrick, E. Carl and Lisa; great grandson, Trent. Funeral services were held on Friday, October 1, 2004 in Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St., Cloquet.