Clara Pauline Ranta

Clara Pauline Ranta, 87, Minot, ND, died Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007, at her daughter's home in Minot.
Clara Mayer was born April 28, 1920, in Stutsman County on the farm homestead 13 miles south of Medina. She was the daughter of Emil and Elizabeth Mayer. She grew up and attended school in Stutsman County. She married Ernest Ranta of Virginia, MN on Feb. 17, 1940, in Nashwauk, MN. They moved to the Grand Rapids, MN area where they lived until 1974. The moved to Shawnee, OK, 1974, then in 1980 they returned to Medina, ND. She resided there until August 2006 when she moved to an apartment in Minot, ND to be closer to family. She and Ernie fostered 136 children in three different states until she retired in 2004. She loved to cook, bake and sew and was good at all of them.
She is survived by a son, Denny Ranta (Barbara), Plainview, MN, two daughters Janice J. DeVilbiss (Tom) of Minot, ND; and Brenda (Jim) Ruud of Anchorage, Alaska; four brothers Paul Mayer, Jamestown, Eddie Mayer (Doris) Streeter, ND, Willie Mayer (Erma) Jamestown, and Gene Mayer (Ramona) Medina, ND; two sisters Lorine Ruff (Walter) of Colorado Springs, CO, and Martha Ruff of Jamestown; six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter and one sister-in-law.
Services will be 11:00 AM Friday, Nov. 9th, 2007, at United Methodist Church, Medina, ND with Rev. Darwin Kopfman, officiating. She was a member of this church from 1980 until 2006. She was presently a member of the Minot 1st Church of the Nazarene, Minot, ND until her death.
Prayer Service will be 7:00 PM Thursday, November 8th, 2007, Haut Funeral Home, Jamestown, ND.
Visitation will be 5-9:00 PM Thursday, Nov. 8th, 2007, at Haut Funeral Home, Jamestown, ND.
Burial will be at Medina Cemetery, Medina, ND.