Yvonne Ann Rieder (née Amman) passed away on Monday, 23 February, 2026, in Reston, Virginia.
Von was born in 1934 to Harry and Thelma (Morton) Ammann in Clarno, Wisconsin: a rural childhood anchored by her father’s ownership of the Clarno Lumber & Supply, providing access to cats, gardens and broad vistas across adjacent farms of southern Wisconsin. Seasonal allergies bothered Von, and so her father would often drive them or pilot a single engine prop plane to the desert southwest to visit national parks and landscapes free from the pollen of Wisconsin. They would occasionally take her closest cousin, Aleta Joy, with them to explore the world beyond Clarno. Von frequently socialized with the many Ammanns, Mortons and extended families in the area, drawn close by her mother’s exacting genealogical research.
Von attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri before transferring to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, graduating with a degree in education, and then briefly teaching. She was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority, reconnecting with her Monroe High School sweetheart and future husband Ken. They married in Madison, WI the day after Christmas 1956.
A General Electric family, Von and Ken moved from Fort Wayne, IN to Grand Rapids, MI, then to Houston & Dallas, TX, north to Danville, IL, and finally on to Solon, OH. Von was expert at moving house with young children, giving birth to Kathy and Chris in Fort Wayne, and later Kirt in Houston. She was an avid reader of historical novels and loved to garden, particularly dahlias. She efficiently managed all aspects of the household, lovingly raising all three children. Her cursive writing was flawless, routinely writing her children weekly letters and corresponding with childhood pen pals until 2025.
As Kathy and Chris moved on to college, Von led the move east to Solon, OH, helping shape what would be their final home. With Kirt off to college, and with the surprise retirement of Ken in 1990, Von and Ken would accelerate their world travel, with trips to Switzerland, England & New Zealand, more frequent trips to Alaska, Hawaii, California, the desert southwest, and the Wisconsin Northwoods. Von loved to travel, as she had as a child, particularly “out west,” with drier air and easier breathing.
By 2015, Ken had passed away, leaving Von and Kathy in Solon, though both soon relocated to be closer to family in northern Virginia. Kathy, Chris, and Virginia family checked in with great frequency, while Kirt and family made periodic visits whenever in the region.
Von is survived by her three children, Katharine Rieder of Sterling, VA, Kenneth Christopher (Joanne) Rieder of Herndon, VA, and Kirt (Catherine) Rieder of Salem, MA. She was the proud grandmother of four grandchildren: Daniel, Kimberly, Jeffrey, and Tilda. Von was preceded in passing by her parents.
Her influence lives on with innumerable happy memories for the surviving children, spurring all to work hard yet enjoy themselves.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00AM on Monday, 16 March, 2026 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, Virginia. Von’s family will host a celebration of life in her honor in Wisconsin during the summer of 2026.
Graveside services will occur in Monroe, Wisconsin during the summer of 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
