Germaine Rydquist

Germaine M. Rydquist, 88, Breckenridge, MN, formerly Wahpeton, ND, passed away, Wednesday, June 17, 2015, at Bethany Homes, Alexandria, MN. The Funeral Service will be 11:00 am, Monday, at Bethel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church on Monday. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Lisbon, ND. Arrangements have been entrusted with Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton.

Germaine was born on July 28, 1926 to Glen and Marie (Stroh) Beem near Elliot, ND. She grew up and attended school in the Elliot area and graduated from Elliot High School in 1943. While her brothers were in the service she worked on the family farm and in the last year of WWII she worked at the Port on Embarkation in Seattle, WA.

On February 2, 1946, Germaine was united in marriage to Orville Rydquist in Lisbon, ND. They raised two children, Kathleen and Charles, while living at Leonard, Lisbon, Gwinner, and Forman, ND while Orville worked for the telephone company. The family moved to Wahpeton, ND in 1954. Germaine then began working for the BPO Elks Club as secretary for eight years and then was employed with NDSCS as a secretary for the Vice President of Academic Affairs until her retirement. At the age of sixty, she had her first stroke and with the help and love of her family, she lived another 28 years. Germaine and Orville became residents of Twin Town Villa in Breckenridge, MN in 2010. Orville passed away on May 3, 2015.

Germaine was a member of and held various offices in Bethel Lutheran Church, the former Wahpeton Elkettes, the Wahpeton Bowling Association, the Secretaries Association of NDSCS, and the St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary where she worked as a volunteer for 17 Years. She was also a Girl Scout Leader and a Boy Scout Leader and taught Sunday School for several years. She loved crocheting, bowling, traveling and spending time at their lake cabin with the family.

Germaine is survived by her daughter, Kathy (Larry) Oberg, Brooksville, FL; her son, Chuck (Sharol) Rydquist, Maple Grove, MN; seven grandchildren; sixteen great grandchildren; three great great-grandchildren; her two brothers, Harvey (Laura) Beem, Escanaba, MI, and Willard (Geneva) Beem, Tucson, AZ; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded by her parents, Glen and Marie Beem, her husband, Orville, her sisters, Geraldine McDaniel, Gwen Koepke, her brothers, Ronald, Virgil, and Herbert Beem.