Krista Rynberk, age 89 of Lansing, IL, passed away May 25, 2021.  Krista is survived by her brother, Soren (Anita) Eriksen; four children; Gale (Bruce) Glawe, Jeffrey Rynberk (Carol Tancredi), Beverly Malcom (Guy Quenzler), and Gilbert (Teresa) Rynberk: eight grandchildren, Garrett (Jennifer) Glawe, Britney (Brian) Vanderheyden, Kirstin (Patrick) Czerwiec, Derek Zacho, Griffin Malcom (Lisa Carroll), Grant Malcom (Jana Kubicki), Lia Rynberk, and Christina Rynberk: and six great grandchildren; Avery Glawe, Maryn Glawe, Madelyn Vanderheyden, Emma Vanderheyden, Nolan Vanderheyden and Lucas Vanderheyden. In addition to her brother Soren, she has many loved and respected nieces and nephews in her home country of Denmark that were asked about and thought of often.

Krista will be forever held in our hearts as a loving dedicated wife to her husband Gilbert J Rynberk, Jr. (married 65 years when Gil passed away) and a passionate, hardworking, and fiercely dedicated Mom.  She had such a natural sense of affection and appreciation at the center of her being.

Krista was meticulously neat and intensely organized, characteristics that kept a strong sense of order and harmony with four kids running around in different directions and a husband pursuing a demanding career.  Our Mom enjoyed a wide variety of crafts and hobbies.  She was an accomplished seamstress, a very talented knitter, tried her hand at oil painting, and enjoyed golfing for a number of years.  If there was an after hour event, rest assured that the beautiful dress she was wearing was made by her own two hands.  If our home needed to be wallpapered, Krista figured it out, got it done, and enjoyed the process.  She enjoyed baking and made darn sure all six of us sat down together every night over a meal that she prepared.

Supporting her community (and her husband's career) was important to her.  She was actively involved in the Southside Swedish Club and the Lansing Lady Lions.  Her involvement provided real value to these organizations and she had fun doing it.

Our Mom was 100% Danish and proud of it (as she was proud of her Danish accent).  She survived a rather crude appendectomy at the age of three.  As an adolescent, she saw the Nazis occupy the streets of her beautiful Copenhagen.  Krista adored her Dad who was an accomplished engineer, requiring travel throughout the world.  This necessitated her Mother to independently keep things together at home.  Her childhood experiences clearly formed the foundation of her strong, independent, and proud constitution.  Interesting that the Owl, with these same characteristics, was her favorite animal.

At the age of 20 Krista met Gil in Copenhagen where they were married.  Gil was the love of her life and was stationed in Germany serving in the Air Force.  A little more than one year following their marriage and with baby Gale in her arms, she said goodbye to her family and established her life in the United States.  This farewell was the last time she saw her Father.  Our Dad was so proud of his wife Krista and how their lifetime together turned out to be an unlikely but real life fairytale.

We cherish all that you were and we so very much appreciate all that you have done for us Mom!  The fact that your four kids were together with you at the end, without neither pain nor the necessity of drugs, and you were fully aware we were there together is a beautiful gift we will be forever thankful for.  You lived with such dignity and strength, "where there is a will, there is a way".  We are so very sad you are gone, but happy you are at peace.

Funeral services for Krista will be held on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 5:30 PM at the Schroeder-Lauer Funeral Home, 3227 Ridge Road, Lansing, Illinois with Deacon Jim Renwick officiating. Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 PM until time of service. Krista will be laid to rest at Oak Glen Lutheran Cemetery, Lansing, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the entity of your choice, focusing on the cure of Alzheimer's disease.