Roy W. Rissky, Mitchell

Roy W. Rissky, 86, Mitchell, died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab, Mitchell.

He was born on Jan. 3, 1926.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Mitchell. Burial with military rites will be in Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery, Mitchell.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell, with a 7 p.m. prayer service.

Roy W. Rissky was born in Edgeley, N.D., to Tony and Blossom (Anderson) Rissky.

Roy lived in Edgeley until 1936, when his family moved to Verona, N.D., where his father was a rural mail carrier.

Roy joined the Navy after graduating from high school and was stationed in Pensacola, Fla., in the V-12 naval program for flight training.

After his service in the Navy, he attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D. Along with his brother, Ben, he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity.

Roy finished his bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees in chemistry at Northern State University, Aberdeen.

Roy married Olive (Kelder) on June 5, 1952, in Verona. They raised five children.

After his retirement, Roy and Ollie enjoyed 17 warm winters in Mesa, Ariz.

This past June, they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Roy began his teaching and coaching career in Tyndall. They moved to Mitchell in 1956, where he taught high school chemistry and physics until his retirement in 1987.

Roy also taught Summer Science Institute classes at the University of South Dakota and Dakota Wesleyan University.

Mr. Rissky truly had a love of learning and a passion for teaching.

His favorite time of the year was fall when he could go hunting with his boys and good friends. Roy was an avid hunter and fisherman.

He was a lifetime member of NEA, SDEA and Sigma Xi Society. He was also a member of American Legion, Elks and Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Grateful for sharing his life are his wife, Ollie, Mitchell; five children: Patty (David) Ploof, Rapid City; Barb (Terry) Newman, Aberdeen; Roy David (Lorraine) Rissky, Tecumseh, Kan.; Mike (Nancy) Rissky, League City, Texas; and Jim Rissky, Mobridge; seven grandchildren: Caitlin (Chris) Podoll, Tyler Newman, Michelle Rissky, Kellie Rissky, Nicole Rissky, Kiley Rissky and Jenna Rissky; one brother, Ben (Dorothy) Rissky, Modesto, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ellen Schaunaman.

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