Winifred Giese

Winifred Giese died Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at Johnson Memorial Care Center in Dawson at the age of 95.

Private services will be held and a livestream of the funeral will be available at 11:00  AM on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 on the funeral home website.

Winifred Agnes Berndt was born August 20, 1925 in Freeland Township, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota to Fred and Agnes (Wilke) Berndt.  She was baptized at Zacheus Lutheran Church of Canby on September 13, 1925 and confirmed at Zachaes Lutheran Church on June 4, 1939.   Winny attended rural school in Lac qui Parle County for eight years, followed by high school and Normal Teacher Training at Canby, MN.

Winny was united in marriage to Robert Giese on January 12, 1945 at her parent’s home near Gary, SD.  To this union two daughters were born, Patricia and Wendy.  She taught rural school in Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle counties for 13 years.  She also worked at Dueber’s Variety Store and as a dietary aide at the Dawson Public School and Johnson Memorial Nursing Home.  She retired in March 1989.

Winny was a member of Grace Lutheran Church of Dawson and the Dawson Strand-Saboe 5247 VFW Auxiliary.  She loved traveling and playing cards, and games with friends, as well as coffee time with retired friends.  A favorite past time was dancing with Bob.  She was always available to help her daughters as they struck out on their own lives.  Winny moved to Johnson Memorial Assisted Living in December 2015 and in November of 2017 she became a resident of Johnson Memorial Care Center.

She is survived by her daughters: Patricia (James) Holm of St. Bonifacius, Wendy (Roger) Mullins of Brooklyn Park; four grandchildren: Michael (Teresa) Holm of Elk River, Jason (Kim) Holm of Slayton, Lisa (Brad) Cook of Pardeeville, WI, Angela (Aaron) Johnson of New Hope; great-grandchildren: Madelyn and Katie Cook, Nathan and Hannah Holm, Andrew and Charley Holm,  Daphne, Easton and Garrett Johnson; one sister, Rhoda (Herman) Rabanus of West Fargo, sister-in-law, LaVonne Berndt of Canby and many nieces and nephews.

Winny was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her parents, Fred and Agnes Berndt, toddler sister, Norma; sister, Adeline Steen-Ashling; brother Harlan Berndt; and nephews David Steen and Curtis Steen.

Winny loved her family and cherished her friends.