Rowena Joan Rustvold-Ihle

Rowena Joan Rustvold-Ihle, a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, was born March 12, 1930 in Ames, IA, and passed away peacefully to her heavenly home on January 7, 2026, surrounded by her daughter, Cathy and husband Ron Kjellsen, and son Bruce Heyerdahl in Corsicana, TX.

Born into a Iowa farming community to Jeffery Nels and Alice B. Rayma Richardson (3rd generation immigrants from Norway), she was the third of six siblings and sister to LaVerne (1926), Beverly (1927), Wayne (1934), Merrill (1936), and Gayla (1941). She was a star basketball player in high school and a scholar. While in college, she was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and sang in the traveling 65 voice acapella choir. Upon graduation from Waldorf Lutheran College, she married her college sweetheart, David Heyerdahl in 1950. They began their life together in Slater, IA where she began teaching. Together they raised two wonderful children, Catherine (1951) and Bruce (1958). In 1959 the family migrated to Canoga Park, CA to seek greater job possibilities. She continued her teaching career at First Lutheran School in Northridge and continued her education, attaining her BA at California State University in Northridge, her teaching certification at California Lutheran College, and her Masters of Education Administration at the University of San Francisco. Altogether, Rowena spent 25 years as teacher/principal, and cared deeply about educating young Christian minds. She enjoyed music and became member of a Sweet Adeline chorus and a quartet that competed in regional and international competitions as well as singing in the choir at Epiphany Lutheran in Canoga Park. Her faith was the guiding part of her life.

In 1977 she and David divorced and she married Raymond Rustvold (three adult children) and also a member of Epiphany in 1980. They lived in Chatsworth, CA for several years, and after retirement relocated to Las Vegas in 1988. They joined the Sons of Norway and began their travel adventures, spending roughly 6 months of each year on the road visiting relatives and friends in their motorhome. Their foreign travels took them to Mexico, Europe, Asia, Scandinavia, and the Holy Land. Raymond was such a blessing to Rowena, and sadly, he passed away suddenly at the age of 70 in 1998. After Ray’s passing, Rowena continued her travels with her sister, Beverly.

She moved to Arizona in 2003 to be closer to her daughter, Cathy and husband, Ron. Upon looking for a new church home, she reunited with and married a hometown friend, Nilus Ihle (three adult children) in 2006. They were married for 14 years, until he passed away in 2020, at the beginning of the COVID epidemic.

Upon Nilus’ death, Rowena relocated one last time to Texas to be close to Cathy, Ron and Bruce. Together, they cared for her in The Villages at Heritage Oaks Assisted Living that cannot be praised enough. They treated her as if she were their own mother as she was lovingly referred to as “Mom” by virtually everyone that cared for her. She joined Lakeside Methodist Church in Streetman, TX, her last church home.

To summarize her most wonderful life, she raised her children and educated countless others during her first (27 year) marriage, pursued travel and adventure during her second (18 year) marriage, achieved fulfillment and solitude in her third (14 year) marriage, and in the final 5 years, joined her children in TX to complete her life’s journey. Rowena had a wonderful life!

She is survived by two siblings, Merrill and Gayla, two children (above), two grand-children, Angela Doherty (husband Joe), Bryan Kjellsen (wife Lisa), and three great-grandchildren, Taylor Mullins, and Zachary and Grace Kjellsen. She was 95.

Arrangements are pending for her Celebration of Life in Streetman. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to Hand In Hand Hospice in Corsicana, Texas.