Ralph W.E. Decker graduated from Mason City Junior College in 1954. That summer he married his sweetheart, Janice (Bowe) Decker, also a 1954 MCJC graduate, and was drafted into the United States Army. After his military service, he completed his college education at the University of California, Chico, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
He spent several years in sales and marketing with a large pharmaceutical company before starting his long association with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Ralph has 21 years experience investigating crime as a Special Agent. His responsibilities included investigations of all general property crime as well as police instruction.
This line of work was perfect experience for his next job as Director of Security for the Missouri Lottery. His success and interest in lottery work made him highly marketable, and he spent his final 10 years of employment working to start and advance Lottery programs across the country in Colorado, and as CEO/Executive Director of the Kansas, Arizona and New Mexico lotteries.
Following his retirement, the Deckers returned to North Iowa to be near family and friends. They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and are lifetime members of the NIACC Alumni Association.
Ralph is an avid supporter of NIACC athletics and President of the YMCA Board of Directors. He also serves on the board of directors for Subscription Club Services in Phoenix, AZ, and is a volunteer probation officer and a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the State of Iowa.
He spends as much time as possible with family, including his eight grandchildren.
Helen (Ferrier) Ristau graduated from Mason City Junior College in 1940 and eventually earned advanced degrees from the State College of Iowa (UNI). She was a school teacher for 44 years, teaching primary through 8th grade in rural schools of Cerro Gordo County before teaching third and fourth grades at McKinley and Roosevelt elementary schools in Mason City.
During her teaching career, she was the Unit B leader; President of the Mason City Education Association; a delegate to the National Education Association; a member of both state and national organizations for the Gifted and Talented; a member of the American Association of University Women, Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Association of Teacher Educators; and charter member and president of the North Iowa Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa professional education fraternity.
She also instructed student teachers, including those from Mason City Junior College, and wrote much of the curriculum for school programs in Mason City, including stories for reading comprehension tests, plus scores of poems and short stories.
Since retiring in 1987, she really got serious about writing! Her publishings include “Meredith Willson, the River City’s Music Man,” numerous articles on education for professional journals, and several children’s books, including “Winter at River Bend Farm,” a fictional story which stems from her experience growing up in Iowa during the Great Depression.
She is a lifetime member of the National Education Association (NEA), the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA), and the Kinney Pioneer Historical Society of North Iowa. In addition, she is the elected secretary of Lincoln Township, a position she has held for over 20 years; and a member of the CCIC (Cornelia Cannon Inter-Creek) Club, the Retired Educators of North Iowa, the Cerro Gordo County and national AARP organizations, and Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Mason City. She loyally supports the Education Foundation of Mason City Schools and the NIACC Alumni Association.
Helen and her husband, Walter, of almost 64 years, have two daughters, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
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