Dolores Susan (Woeste) Gietzen, age 91, formerly of New Leipzig ND, passed away at Marion
Manor Nursing home, Glen Ullin, ND on Monday, March 4th, 2019.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am MT on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at St. John's Catholic Church in New Leipzig, ND.  Fr. Stephen Folorunso will officiate with burial to follow at St. John's Catholic Cemetery in New Leipzig.

Born November 28th 1927, in Calloway MN, she was a daughter of the late John and Katherine
(Heinen) Woeste. She was not expected to live, thus the possibility of her name Dolores, being
chosen, which means sorrows. Her loving husband, Robert Paul Gietzen passed on 12/01/2006.
They have now rejoined each other in heaven, based on the promise of the Holy Scripture.
(Rom 8:8 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will
be revealed in us.) In addition to her husband and parents she was preceded in death by all of
her siblings, Sister Sharon (Marie) Woeste, Mildred Weinmann, Victor Woeste, Virgil Woeste,
and Ethelbert Svob.

If any one word could be used to describe Dolores, it would be the word harmony. Harmony is
the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord
progressions having a pleasing effect. From a very young age, Dolores and her sister Ettie were
renowned vocalists from Harvey, ND. Along with the Lesmeister sisters, they performed for
many local and regional events, even singing for the Governor. People frequently gushed about
the close harmony of their singing. In the Catholic church, they were unofficial mass servers and
would frequently sing the mass in Latin. Mom would often know they were in perfect pitch
when she heard a ringing in her ear when singing with Ettie. Grandma's vocal range extended
from a low Soprano to a high Bass. This was often convenient when a group needed a
substitute 'voice' to sing in four part harmony. When Dolores would sing, her emotive and
harmonious pitch was so eerily nuanced that it made the primary pitch almost secondary. All of
her children recall trying to sing the same harmony as Mom, other times just enjoying the
experience. There are many songs that we will continue to hear Mom/Grandma sing in our
memories, including Our Father, Ave Maria, O Holy Night. Dolores sang to glorify our heavenly
Father. (Psalm 96:1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.) Grandma
took great pleasure in performing with the Dakota SonShine Trio for many years. This trio sang
all over the three state area and were invited to perform multiple times in Medora.

While her gift was singing, her life's work was being a spouse and mother. Another definition of
Harmony is the quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole. Dolores was the one who
filled in the gaps to what her husband Bob needed from her. (Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said,
"It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.") The two
together made a complete unit. Where he had the concept, she had the detail, where she kept
the house, he did the physical work on the farm. They were a great team and lived and worked
side by side for 57 years until his passing.

Dolores and Bob had eyes on each other in High School and spent a good deal of their dating
time dancing. They became engaged May 16th 1948 but had to wait a year because Bob was too
young. They married on May 16th 1949. Even into their later years, they were able to enjoy each
other's company while dancing. They were careful to avoid displays of affection in front of their
children. However, the kids would love to catch them in an unsuspecting vulnerable moment,
where they were hugging each other, kissing or dancing around the home, often without the
benefit of any music playing. Just dancing to their own tune. Mom was a dedicated housewife
and a woman of constant prayer. Her love for the Lord, as evidenced by her Catholic faith, was
just a given to anyone who knew her. She was very protective of her children, praying for their
wisdom and welfare on a daily basis. Many nights mom would lay in bed, praying her rosary and
would not fully fall asleep until the last child was safely home, came in and told her "Good
night, I Love you mom". ( James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective)
Mom was a long suffering parent to her children's antics. Each of the children had ample
opportunity to put her and Dad through trials and tribulations. The oldest started things off
with hernia surgery, her daughter had to get her heel sewed back on after a freak motorcycle
accident, a teenaged son rushed to St. Alexius suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury, Rushing
yet another son to Bismarck for a burst appendix, Driving through a March blizzard with
another son to get him to the Elgin hospital saving him from dying from Hard Measles, helping
pull yet another son off of a combine pickup tooth where his leg had been impaled, or watching
her youngest leave home for the last time. Through it all, Mom and Dad just worked it out,
trusting that in all of life's adventures, God would provide.

As a family, money was never abundant, but there was always food on the table, homemade
bread and buns, steak, roast or hot dish, cake for most every meal, and sometimes a backup
cake, just in case. It was common for anyone who drove into the yard around meal time to be
invited in to join the family. Mom would add some extra eggs or noodles, or brown some more
hamburger or even make an entire second meal to allow people to experience hospitality from
their 'Abundance' of beef, milk, eggs and whatever else the farm produced. (2 Cor 9:8 And God
is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need)
There was always room around the table at the Gietzen's for another person. Some boys would
come for a meal, some stayed for a weekend, many dropped in repeatedly over the years. All
were treated like they were one of the family. Mike Grantham, stayed for several years and is
considered Mom and Dad's eighth child.

The last definition of harmony is agreement or concord. Dolores often worked towards
agreement in being a good citizen of her adopted home town of New Leipzig. She could be silly,
modeling her own wedding gown for a community 'mother daughter bridal' event (she was
proud she could still fit), she could be serious through her service to the community on the
elections board, and on the local school board, she could be a faithful worker, such as making
authentic German fleischkiechle for the town's Oktoberfest celebration with the ladies aid
society from St. John's Catholic church. She was well known as a woman of integrity, a hard
worker, and a true Catholic. She leaves a legacy of good works, children who turned out alright,
and the love and respect of many.

Surviving Dolores are; Dan and Susan (Longwell) Gietzen and daughters Whitney Rinas (and
David), Kelsey Knodel (and Sean) and Maggie Gietzen from Mandan, ND; Patricia (Gietzen)
Wilhelm and Bill from Beulah, ND and her children, Christie Weldon (and Michael), Max Wehri
(and Amber), Jess Wehri, and Claire (Wehri) Marlowe (Greg) and Nathan Goodwin and
Christina; Tom and Linda (Schock) Gietzen and their children, Sarah Steckler (and Shane), Dan
(and Amy), Sam (and Lindsay), Zach (and Rachel) and Titus ( and April) Gietzen from Mandan,
ND; Drs. Robert J and Lori (Meek) Gietzen, and daughters Erica Freezon (and Blair) and Leah
Reynolds (Nick) from Mandan, ND; Jonathan and Robin (Senger) Gietzen and their children,
Joshua (Jenn), Eric (Kaitlyn), and Brian (Hanna) Gietzen and MacKensie Keiner from Forest
Grove, OR; Dr. Michael and Sherry (Seeley) Gietzen and their children Evan, Emily and Elise
Gietzen from Pryor, OK; Paul and April (Ashley) Gietzen, and their son Robert Gietzen from
Waxahachie, TX; Dr. Michael Grantham and daughters Casey and Taylor of Granger, IN.

Dolores's family continues to grow to include numerous great-grandchildren (Gen 1:28 God
blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number;) Kale, Lennon, & Nash
Rinas, Michael, John, Ellie & Jacob Weldon, Baylee, Shelby, Spencer, Savannah and Tristan
Wehri, Lexie Wehri, Liam & Danny Marlowe, Mr Chibbs, Treye & Evan Steckler, Hayden,
Camille, Ivy, Lena, Samuel Jr, Hadley, Edison, Ezekiel, & Emery Gietzen, Killian & Maverick
Reynolds, Tenlee Freezon, Lincoln Keiner, and Gregory Gietzen, so far…