Duane and Rita

Rita Rae Zeller Obit

Rita Rae Zeller Striegel, Leith, ND, died Saturday morning, February 4, at the Glendive Medical Center, Glendive, MT. She was 79 years old.

Her funeral service will be at 11:00 am. MST, Tuesday, February 7, in Trinity Lutheran Church, Carson, ND. Following burial at the Leith Cemetery, lunch will be served at the 4-H Building on the Grant County Fair Grounds.

Serving as active Casketbearers are Terry Haberstroh, Jeff Ulrich, Danny Hauge, Curt Kauffman, Kevin Bachmeier and Jim Lodoen. All of Rita’s grandchildren are honorary Casketbearers.

Rita Rae was born September 26, 1932, in Leith, ND, to Julius and Marjorie Andersen Zeller. She attended school in Leith and earned her Teaching Degree from Dickinson State College. Rita taught in elementary schools at Lark, Leith and Carson, ND.

Rita married Duane Striegel on March 4, 1951. They lived for a short time in northern Minnesota where Duane was a truck driver in the Iron Range and then in Coleharbor, ND, where Duane drove truck during construction of the Garrison Dam. In 1955, Rita and Duane began farming with Duane's father and brother at Leith. In 1959 they purchased the farm. Striegel Ranch became known for its high quality Simmental cattle.

Rita and Duane had seven children. Barry and Bruce were born in 1951, Terrie in 1953, Julie in 1955, Melody in 1957, Jerome in 1961 and Jim in 1970. Bruce died shortly after birth and Jerome was drowned in Costa Rica in 1984 while working with the International 4-H organization.

Rita was an active community member. She was a 4-H leader for more than 30 years, Church organist, Sunday School and Bible School teacher. She helped establish the Special Education Program in the Elgin School and organize the Leith Centennial Celebration in 2009. Rita had leadership roles in the National Tarentaise Association and the North Dakota and National Simmental Associations. She was a member of the Memorial Seventh Cavalry Troop, which represented North Dakota in the 100th Rose Bowl Parade.

Rita was a hard working farm wife, loving mother and grandmother, happy and welcome friend and compassionate Christian woman. She was known for her infectious giggle, award winning show calf tails, patience, sense of humor and her bean soup, chocolate pies and fried dumplings

Survivors include son Barry, Grand Forks; daughter Terrie and son-in-law Virgil Grenz, Fargo; daughter Julie, Fargo; daughter Melody, son-in-law Tony and their daughters, Jenna, Carmen, Amber and Kate; and son, Jim, daughter-in-law Lea and their children, Ashlyn and Brett; sister-in-law Dorothy Zeller, bother and sister-in-law Gordon and Charlotte Timboe, bother and sister-in-law Curt and Maurine Striegel; bother and sister-in-law Tom and Hazel McDowall; Aunt and Uncle Doris and Cal Davis of Cottage Grove, Oregon and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Duane; parents Julius and Marjorie Zeller; sister Joyce; brother Ron; sons Bruce and Jerome and granddaughter Kayla.