Joan Riehl

Joan Riehl passed away peacefully at the Benedictine Living Community in Bismarck late on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday, February 20. 2025 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mandan with Fr. Josh Waltz presiding. Burial will follow at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday, February 19 from 5-7 PM with a Rosary and time of sharing at 7 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Johanna Hilda Wuitschick was born on March 1, 1926, the middle child of thirteen children born to Arsenius and Magdelina (Richter) Wuitschick. Her childhood days were filled with the work and play that comes with twelve siblings. Joan grew up hearing stories about her dad riding horseback to nearby farms to check on neighbors who were hit by the flu pandemic of 1918. Her life was profoundly impacted by the Great Depression. She could stretch a dollar and budget with the best of them. But she was always an optimist. Success at Walker School near Selfridge came easily to her, and led to a pen pal relationship with her first-grade teacher, Mary Anderson. Miss Anderson sent Joan postcards and gifts from around the world for over 50 years. After her 8th grade graduation, Joan went to work helping area families. She was hired for $1.00 per day by the Red & White grocery store in Selfridge ND until the store closed. Joan was recruited to work at Krause’s SuperValu in Carson for $2.00 per day. While only 70 miles away, Joan had not heard of Carson before she gained employment there. She worked six days a week, twelve hours per day in the dry goods department at Krause’s. She boarded with the Ketterling family in Carson, and always expressed appreciation to the Krause and Ketterling families for taking her in and treating her as a member of their families. Shortly after moving to Carson, she met John Riehl, a young area farmer at a dance. John and Joan were wed in Selfridge on December 30, 1947. Their farm and ranch, 10 miles southeast of Carson, would always be her happy place. To this marriage nine children were born, five boys (one a still born twin) followed by four girls. Joan was an excellent cook, seamstress, and gardener. She enjoyed playing cards, completing the daily crossword in the Bismarck Tribune, visiting with friends and family, beating her college educated daughters at Scrabble and reading. She hosted numerous birthday parties, family reunions, and Names Day parties. Her organizational skills and amazing work ethic were a part of her daily life. Joan’s love language was food; she enjoyed feeding her family, friends and community. Some of her specialties were bumbuschka, fried chicken, homemade noodles, chocolate turtles, creamed chicken with dumplings, peach pie, wedding kuchen, and the list goes on and on. She assisted with many school activities, and was always available to help with tasks at the church. She was busy all day long with chores like butchering chickens and milking cows, and then she put rollers in her hair almost every night and went to bed! It goes without saying that the next day she did it all over again. Her Catholic faith was very important to her. She intentionally lived her faith through her daily actions. John and Joan worked hard to provide educational opportunities for their children that were not available to them when they were growing up. Joan possessed a quiet strength and a spirit of gratitude. She was “home base” to her grandkids, and she was a baby-whisperer! Following John’s death in 2009, Joan remained in Carson for several years. She moved to Library Square in Mandan in 2014, before a move to the Benedictine Living Community in 2021. Mom spoke highly of the staff at BLC, and appreciated the care she received there.

Joan is survived by her children: Steven Riehl, Bismarck; Jeffrey (Paulette) Riehl, Dickinson; Rod (Paula) Riehl, Boise; Brad (Janet) Riehl, Bismarck; Audrey (Roger) Ternes, Bismarck; Laurel (Bob) Weigelt, Minot; Sherryl (Mike) Lefor, Dickinson; and Patti (Eric) Levorsen, Dickinson. She was so proud of her grandchildren: Linda (Chad) Bullinger, Brenda (Tedd) Heinrich,Tammy (Troy) Backhaus, Todd (Colette Fetch) Hopfauf, Steve (Dawna) Helfrich, Manda (Jamie Browning) Riehl, Katie Riehl, Emily (Sam Anderson ) Riehl, Elizabeth (Glen French) Riehl, Chandra (Roby) Johnson, Trista (Todd) Fisher, Mitchell (Tracy) Riehl, Ivy Pokorny, Dwight Ternes, Marc (Holly Polanchek) Ternes, Brett (Sam) Lefor, Scott Lefor, Andi (Mat Charley) Lefor, Dayn Levorsen, Bryce Levorsen, Cienna (Clint) Mrnak, and Aidan (Breanna Brezinski) Levorsen. Thirty-six great-grandchildren, and four great-greatgrandchildren survive and will carry on her legacy. Her sisters, Liz Kraft and Maggie Feist, live on, as does her sister-in-law, Emma Loeb, and many caring nieces and nephews. Mom was a Godmother to twelve and a Confirmation sponsor to four youngsters. She carried these people in her heart as well.

Joan was preceded in death by her husband John; a still born son; and a daughter-in-law, Loretta Riehl. Her six brothers, Oscar, Joe, Andy, Carl, Andy, Art and four sisters, Katie, Rose, Margaret, and Wally also preceded her in death.

Cards/memorials may be sent to Brad Riehl, 7505 Ash Lane, Bismarck ND 58503. All memorials received in Mom’s honor will be donated to the needs of the Benedictine Living Community in Bismarck, Hospice of the Red River Valley, or the care of the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan.

As Mom said to end every phone conversation, “God Bless.” Please join us for lunch at the Mandan Eagles Club as Mom would be disappointed if we did not feed you!