Leora (Pfliger) Retterath

Leora Retterath, 93, of Stanton, ND passed away Thursday, September 12, 2019 at Elm Crest Manor, New Salem. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CDT on Monday, September 16, 2019 at St. Martin Catholic Church, Hazen with Fr. Tom Grafsgaard officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM CDT on Sunday at St. Martin Catholic Church with a vigil service at 7:00 PM.

Leora was born in Oliver County on May 17, 1926 on the Pfliger homestead in the Pleasant Valley area. She was the oldest of nine children born to Joseph and Caroline (Stein) Pfliger. Leora grew up and attended grade school in the Pleasant Valley School District and was a 4-H Club member. She attended her freshman year of high school at St. Nicholas Parochial School in Garrison in 1940-41. Leora graduated from Hazen High School in May 1944. She went on to attend Dickinson State Teacher’s College, where she received her teaching certificate. Leora taught at rural schools in Oliver County for two years following school.

On June 1, 1946, Leora married Martin Retterath at St. Martin Catholic Church in Hazen. They lived on various farms in the Stanton area and moved into Stanton in October 1960. Leora was secretary and clerk at the Stanton School for 10 years and enjoyed working with the teachers and students. She was elected as the Mercer County Auditor and began those duties on April 1, 1975. Leora was re-elected and served six, four-year terms, for a total of 24 years. She retired on April 1, 1999.

Leora was an organist at St. Martin Catholic Church for many years, starting when she was still attending high school. She was a member of Stanton Senior Citizen’s, the American Legion Auxiliary the Stanton Women’s Birthday Club, the County Auditors Association, and St. Martin’s Altar Society. Her favorite pastimes included gardening, canning, cooking, sewing, playing the piano and organ, and raising houseplants.

She was a resident of Elm Crest Manor of New Salem until her passing.

Leora is survived by her children, Joe (special friend, Edna Lorentzen) Retterath of Stanton, Anita (special friend, Roy Entze) Retterath of Zap, ND, Betty Ware of Genesco, IL, Donald (Sandy) Retterath of Hazen, Mary (Harry) Pieterick of New Rockford, ND, Andrew (special friend, Carol Klingenstein) Retterath of Stanton, Carmen (Miles) Reinholt of Hazen, Rosalie (Hamid) Nakhaie of Oceanside, CA, Stephen (Debi) Retterath of Ft. Collins, CO; 16 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Dorothy Lang of Wendel, ID; one brother, James Pfliger of Mesquite, NV; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Martin; her son, Martin, Jr.; her daughter-in-law, Ellen Retterath; her son-in-law, Ted Ware; her granddaughter, Rhonda; her sisters, Cecelia Hauck and Theresa Kowalski; her brothers, Clemins Pfliger, Ben Pfliger, Joseph Pfliger and Martin Plieger.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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