Loretta Tescher, age 86, of Beach, N.D. passed away on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at Knife River Care Center in Beulah, N.D.
Visitation was held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Silha Funeral Home in Beach and from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Beach. A Vigil Service was held on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Beach. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Beach with Father Dan Berg officiating. Rite of Committal will follow at the Medora Cemetery in Medora, N.D. Silha Funeral Home of Beach has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Mom was born on October 19, 1929 to Math and Bertha (Koch) Brown in Beach. She grew up on a ranch twenty-two miles northeast of Sentinel Butte, N.D. and attended Westerheim Grade School, graduating from Beach High School in 1946.
Mom was Dad’s 1946 High School prom date and on June 13, 1950 they were married in a double wedding ceremony with Lloyd and Rosemarie (Tescher) Brown.
She received her teaching certificate from Dickinson State Teachers College and began teaching grade school that fall at the age of sixteen. Mom taught at various country schools in the Beach area for the next five years. At one school she had a student older than herself. The folks lived in a granary west of Sentinel Butte until the fall of 1952 when they purchased a ranch thirty-six miles north of Medora on the Little Missouri River.
Mom was a hardworking rancher’s wife who was devoted to doing what had to be done on the ranch even when Dad was away at rodeos. She did this all while raising five children.
Mom grew several gardens of which she canned and froze all the produce from them. She also made many varieties of jams and jellies and canned everything from wild berries to wild mushrooms to venison. She made most of the family’s clothes and did lots of baking. Her caramel rolls and fresh bread were a hit with the neighborhood. Not only did we kids like Mom’s cooking, but hired men raved about her meals too.
Mom had a love for music and dancing and would dance with everyone that she could pull out on the dance floor. She also enjoyed playing cards, putting puzzles together and scrapbooking, but her greatest enjoyment was having grandkids show up at her door.
Mom’s passion for gardening and flowers won her numerous awards at the county fair and over the course of many years she brought home a number of grand champions.
Mom could be firm but was also thoughtful and caring. Mom lived her life for her family and she spent the last twelve years longing to be back with her husband.
Loretta was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; her parents, Math and Bertha Brown; her sister, Violet Carrigan; her brothers, Art Brown, Lloyd Brown and Terry Brown; and grandson, Chip Stockwell.
Loretta is survived by her children, Gary (Ardis) and their sons, Beau (Kaylie) and Ty (Jamie); Cindi (Ron) Schmitz and their children, Chad (Cassie), Chelsea (Ashley) and Chase; Barry (Rita) and their children, ShayAnne, Laramie, Kolton, Hunter and Kaleb; Troy (Joanne) and their children, Jessica (Luke), Christa and Jordan (Ashley); Bonnie (Shane) Farstveet and their children, Jeremy (Samantha), Tanner (Brittany) and Wyatt (Desi); as well as fourteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Deanna (Matt) Lardy and sisters and brothers-in-law, Dona (Jim) Lowman, Alice (John) Meginnes, Betty (Alvin) Tescher and Darlene Brown.
Memorials may be sent to Home on the Range, North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame or the Golden Valley Manor.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.