Robert P. Gietzen, age 77 of New Leipzig, passed away at his home on Friday morning, December 1, 2006. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, December 9, at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in New Leipzig. Fr Charles Zins will officiate with inurnment in St. John's Catholic Cemetery.


Visitation will be held on Friday from 12:00 noon until 5:00pm, the time of the rosary.


Special music will be provided by Paula Rivinius, Zach Gietzen, Sam Gietzen, Kelsey Longwell, Linda Gietzen and the grand and great grandchildren. The Bell Tollers are Christie and John Weldon, and all Roberts children and grandchildren.


Serving as casketbearers are his 8 children. Honorary Casketbearers are the grand and great grandchildren.

Ask anyone who knew him well and they would agree that to Bob Gietzen, life was farming and farming was his life. Bob was born on a cold day in May in a home birth on a farm in Haymarsh, North Dakota. Bob was born to William N. and Anna (Hartman) Gietzen. He joined older sister MaryAnn (Evanson) and older brother William F. Gietzen. A few years later a younger sister Betty Lou (Remmick) joined the family. As a farmer his life was dictated by the seasons. To Bob the season he was in was his favorite.


In the spring season of his life, Bob spent his early years being an avid hunter, fisherman, and trapper. He earned an eighth grade education and then joined his father on the farm. For recreation he played baseball with six brothers by the name of Opp. Their team name, "The 7-Opps" served as an indication of the dry sense of humor Bob would exhibit the rest of his life. He worked a variety of jobs early in his life including installing REA poles one summer, working at the Woeste Creamery in Glen Ullin where he dated his future bride, working for the local railroad, working for Schultz Creamery in Bismarck and as a laborer building the Provident Life building in Bismarck. While working on the Provident Life building the competition for work was so fierce that one day a man began carrying 2 bags of concrete at a time when up until then they had only been carrying one bag each time. This shocked the other men but to keep their jobs they all felt they needed to carry 2 bags as well. This went on for a short while, when Bob decided that was enough. He grabbed 3 bags of concrete (240 lbs) and carried the bags up the stairs. The next time around, everyone was carrying 1 bag again. Bob was a man who demanded fairness in how others were treated. Matt 23:23


Bob was always a hard worker. During his courtship of DoLores Woeste, Bob would work all day, get cleaned up and in the evening go in to visit his future bride. Often their 'dates' would involve Bob falling asleep on the couch. On the nights when Bob was not so tired, they would go out dancing. Bob was a popular dance partner and until very recently was still able to dance with his wife at a granddaughters wedding this spring. Bob and DoLores were married May 16th 1949. Bob was a faithful Husband. Proverbs 5:18


In the Summer season of his life, Bob and DoLores bought a farm in rural New Leipzig, the year was 1954. Bringing their two children, Dan and Patricia, with Thomas on the way, they established a family farm where Dad continued his life passion of farming. He would milk his world class Guernsey cows every morning and work in the fields until the early evening, milk the cows again and during the busy seasons would go out into the field and work far into the night. The kids multiplied over the years and they all looked forward to the chance to bring lunch out to their dad in the summer. Mom would make a lunch of minced ham sandwiches and nectar for the kids. She would fill a jar with hot coffee and we would pile into the old Chrysler sedan and drive out to the field where Dad was working. Our Dad was our hero as he drove up on his green John Deere tractor. He would walk over to the car and sit in the front seat, eat his sandwiches, drink his coffee and tell Mom about how the fieldwork was going. He would faithfully compliment Mom on how good everything tasted. Mom and Dad were able to successfully make a living on that small farm for many years. Dad was a man who toiled the land. Gen 3:19


In 1976 a fierce tornado struck the farm. The next morning in the light of day, the farm was a shambles and the crops were hailed out. Although shaken, Mom and Dad felt that God must certainly have a plan in this. Through the summer everyone cleaned up broken buildings and repaired the farm. In the fall, Bob was surprised to find that we actually had a crop. This was an amazing harvest especially in light of the crop being hailed on and that our parents did not believe in crop insurance. Bob always tried to honor God in his life. Although he would work on some Sundays during harvest, he would always go to church. When asked how he could then go out and work on the combine all day on Sunday, he would say that he was offering up that day of work to God and that he would meditate on Jesus. In the fall when he would sell off the crop, Bob made sure that every tenth truckload he earmarked for the "Lord". That truck would often be heavily overloaded with grain. Dad knew that he was only giving back what was already God's. Bob was truly a man of faith. Proverbs 3:5


They raised eight children over the years. His children include; Dan and his wife Susan (Longwell) and daughters Whitney, Kelsey and Maggie from Mandan, ND; Patricia Ellis from St. Joseph, MO and her children, Christie Weldon (and Michael), Max, Jess (and Tara), and Claire Wehri and Nathan Goodwin. Tom and his wife Linda (Schock) and their children, Sara Steckler (and Shane), Dan (and Amy), Sam, Zach and Titus Gietzen from Mandan, ND, Drs. Robert J and Lori Gietzen, and daughters Erica and Leah Gietzen from Mandan, ND, Jonathan and his wife Robin (Senger) and their children, Joshua, Eric, and Brian Gietzen and MacKensie Keiner from Forest Grove, OR, Dr. Mike and Sherry (Sealy) and their children Evan, Emily and Elise Gietzen from Pryor, OK, Paul and his wife April (Ashley), and their son Robert Gietzen from Waxahachie, TX, Dr. Mike Grantham and his wife Robin (Williamson) and daughters Casey and Taylor of Granger, IN. Bob's family continues to grow to include great grand children Baylee, Shelby, Lexie, Michael and John.... so far. Dad was a family man. Joshua 24:15


In the fall season of his life, Bob suffered several health setbacks and was forced to retire from farming. Now upon his death we imagine that he is now with Jesus and as they walk the fields of heaven together, Jesus is pointing out a very different harvest to Dad and says, "You see Bob, it is about farming after all, the fields are white with the harvest." And Bob leans over to Jesus and says, "Well then, let's get to work." John 4:35
Bob is survived by his wife, DoLores, of 57 years, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; his brother William, and his two sisters, MaryAnne and Betty Lou.