Henrietta Rheault

Henrietta passed away peacefully Sunday surrounded by her loving children after battling metastatic lung cancer. She was 88 years old.

Henrietta was born 10-1-1924 to Kasper and Wilhelmina Gress in Dickenson ND. She grew up with her siblings in Richardton ND and graduated from Fargo Central High School. Following high school, Henrietta graduated from Fargo Business College and worked for New York Life Insurance Company as a stenographer for most of her working years. 

In 1947 she met her wonderful husband, Julian. They were married in October of 1947 and would have been married an amazing 63 years this year. Together they made their home in Fargo and raised their 4 children. She was a strong Catholic and faithfully supported Catholic education.  Henrietta ran a tight ship at home, always encouraging her children to be their best – for she loved them so dearly and always wanted the best for them. She enjoyed company, card games, music and dancing, and a little bit of gambling now and then. Most of all, she loved to be down the dusty gravel road of her bright red cabin on Long Lake where countless memories were made on lazy afternoons spent in rocking chairs on the patio facing the lake. She enjoyed the cool breeze and the rays of sunlight coming off the calm morning water, listening to the loons, crocheting, going out for boat rides, and watching her grandchildren splash and giggle in the lake. She was an excellent cook and loved to prepare elaborate meals. She looked forward to having the whole family together for holidays or for just about any other reason she could come up with.  

After many years of braving the icy winters, Henrietta and her husband became “snow birds” traveling each winter to their second home in Arizona. They enjoyed this time with their new found friends and Henrietta became wonderfully talented at making hand painted porcelain dolls and other ceramic artwork. She loved to teach the art of porcelain doll making to others while in Arizona. Henrietta liked to make jewelry and paint detailed woodwork crafted by her husband, which she proudly displayed for everyone to see.

Henrietta was very close to her children and grand children and she will be greatly missed every day.

Henrietta is survived by her children: Terry (Kathy) Rheault (Fargo, ND), Connie (Dennis) Meier (Rapid City, SD), Susan (Doug) Landsverk (Aitkin, MN), and Jeff Rheault (Stephanie) (Dilworth, MN). Her grand children: Jason Meier, JoEllen Keegan, Terry Rheault Jr, Melanie Noonan, Erik Landsverk, Kevin Landsverk, Jaime Landsverk, and Justin Moug. And 8 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Julian, both her parents, sisters Loretta Rudshagen, Eleanor Renner, Agnes Gress, Bernetta Zent, and her brothers Joseph Gress and Victor Gress.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to River Pointe of Moorhead and Hospice of the Red River Valley for their support and compassionate, gentle care provided to Henrietta.