Paul Charles Ristvedt , 88, 1211 Glacial Drive, Minot, former Minot teacher and longtime Ryder area farmer, died Sunday in a Minot nursing home.

Paul was born on February 11, 1918, to Charles and Laura (Peterson) Ristvedt in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated from Ryder High School in 1936 and Minot State Teachers College in 1940, with a Bachelor of Science degree. While in college he was a member of the Minot State Band and Orchestra and worked summers in Yellowstone National Park. After graduation he taught in Monticello, MN and Granville, ND.

In 1942, Paul enlisted in the US Navy and attended the Naval Flight Training School in Pensacola, Florida. He was stationed in Brazil as a navigator with a PBY airplane squadron flying anti-sub patrol-covering convoys to Africa and England. Paul was united in marriage with Marie Steinmetz on February 15, 1944, at the Quonset Point, R.I. Naval Air Station. He received an honorable discharge in 1945 and they returned to Minot.

Paul started teaching in the Minot Public School system in 1946, retiring in 1983 after teaching science and chemistry for thirty-seven years. While teaching, he also farmed in Ward County near Ryder for many years, and continued to farm after retiring from teaching. Paul received a Masters of Science Degree in 1950 from UND and also took graduate courses at NDSU and the University of Colorado.

He was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church and Choir, Nodakord Barbershop Chorus, Minot's Lions Club, Y's Men Club, Elks, Minot Community Players, American Legion, VFW, NEA, NDEA, AFT, and the National Science Foundation. Paul was an avid collector of Model T's and a participating member of the Makoti Threshing Show.

Paul is survived by his wife, Marie, son, Paul "Skip" (Julee) Ristvedt of Boone, IA, foster son, Darrel (Karen) Kensrud of Bloomington, MN; grandchildren, Kent Ristvedt, Steven Ristvedt, Amanda Ristvedt, Shelly (Kensrud) Strong, Rendall (Jacobson) Franklin, and Jason Jacobson, and 10 great-grandchildren; sister, Leona Haugstad of Minot, niece, Kay Lundquist and nephews, Harold and Duane Haugstad.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Marjorie Holte.

Funeral Service: Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. in All Saints Episcopal Church, Minot.
Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot.
Visitation: Wednesday, July 26, 2006, from 2:00-7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
Memorials: Ryder Historical Society, Ryder, North Dakota 58779.