Quentin Retterath

Following a decline in health, Quentin Retterath, 91, Bismarck, went to his eternal home on February 11, 2016, with his wife present, at CHI St. Alexius Health under Hospice Respite Care. A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 19, at 10:00 AM at Lutheran Church of the Cross, 1004 E. Highland Acres Road, Bismarck, with Pastor Donna Dohrmann officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens following the memorial service and fellowship. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. Quentin Retterath, the son of Martin and Vivian (Burt) Retterath, was born on July 17, 1924, at Devils Lake, ND. When Quentin was about 12 years old, he began spending summers at his grandparents’ farm. He loved the farm life so much that he then lived out there year-round throughout high school. His Grandpa Burt was one of his favorite people. Quentin graduated from Southam High School as valedictorian. He liked to joke about that because the other guy was salutatorian - only two people in the class!! Because he had an impairment of his right arm, Quentin was unable to enter any of the branches of the military. So he went to California and worked in ship building to do his part for the war effort during World War II. He married Alice Anderson while in California. Quentin returned to North Dakota and worked for City Service in Devils Lake driving a gas truck. He later went to Tacoma, WA, where he worked in an aluminum reduction plant. Back to North Dakota – just couldn’t stay away. He began working at Ottertail Power Plant in Devils Lake where he worked for 16 years, moving up to the position of operator. During that time, he became active in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and was the business agent for ten years. He went to three international meetings of the IBEW. He was privileged to be a negotiator when the labor contracts came due. On October 4, 1969, he married Sheila Borth, originally from Werner. Because of organized labor’s support and the many hours he spent studying the worker’s compensation law, Quentin was appointed to the ND Workers Compensation Board by Governor William L. Guy. He was re-appointed by Governors Arthur Link and George Sinner. Quentin held that position for 20 years and holds the record for the longest serving commissioner at the NDWCB. Quentin cared deeply about injured workers and made it his goal to visit the most severely injured workers at their homes throughout North Dakota. Quentin was a man of many talents and interests. He loved the beauty of nature, hunting, the outdoors, and was an astute observer of nature. For 17 years, he and his son Terry and nephew David Peterson had a hunting lodge in the ND Badlands and spent many fine times out there. They sometimes went during the off season; their excuse was that they had to water the grass…..sometimes in December and January! Quentin was a skilled handyman in many capabilities. He could plumb, wire, build, and did all his own vehicle repair. He always made himself available to anyone who needed his help. He was also involved in many political campaigns. He drew Sheila into this effort and together they put much time into the campaigns of local and statewide candidates. High on his list of interests was travel. He and Sheila traveled to all 50 states and the provinces of Canada. He thought the national parks were his playground and he and Sheila toured and hiked in all but three of the approximately 55 national parks in the U.S. They took a whale watching trip to British Columbia, Canada, visited parks there and traveled to Churchill, Canada, to see the polar bears, which they viewed from a tundra buggy out on the Canadian tundra near Hudson Bay. They were also very interested in presidential libraries and visited many of them. Quentin and Sheila were both enthusiastic hunters and went deer hunting together in the ND Badlands and grouse hunting in the Bismarck area. Quentin was a devoted husband, father, and grandpa. He and Sheila regularly had family gatherings at their home with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and he thought some of the antics of the grandchildren were hilarious. He loved hunting with Terry, fixing fence at Pam’s farm, and taking Patricia and Maria camping and on trips; he put much time into teaching all four to water ski. He was a plain-spoken man of unquestioned integrity – it never occurred to him to be otherwise. He was mischievous and always had a quick wit and a wink, with a laugh that was contagious. Quentin was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Cross and knew that he was a child of God. This handsome man with the curly brown hair is dearly loved and will be missed very much by Sheila, his wife of 46 years; three daughters and one son, Pamela (Vic) Redinger, Terry (Kathy) Retterath, Patricia (Cameron) Johnson, and Maria Retterath (Michael Burtness); nine grandchildren, Deron (Barb) Redinger, Ken (Janel) Redinger, Trevor (Tracie) Retterath, Luciene (Collin) LaPlant, Brooke (John) Weinhandl, Tamarah Johson, Levi Retterath, Cassandra Johnson, and Landyn Johnson; seven great-grandchildren, Michael (Chelsea) Redinger, Gavin LaPlant, Cord LaPlant, Caden Redinger, Teryn Weinhandl, Jack Weinhandl, and Sydney Retterath; one sister, Yvonne Dorricott (Ronald Scoma); one brother, Gordon (Rita) Retterath; one sister-in-law, Florence Retterath; a special niece, Connie (Allard) Magilke; a special nephew, David Peterson; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; Pam’s twin, Terry Lynn; and two brothers, Wesley and Maurice. Quentin truly left this world a better place, and his memory will be with all of us who came to know and love him. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:21