Loretta Lena Althoff

Loretta Lena Althoff left this earth on July 15, 2025. A Mass of Christian will be on Monday, July 21, 2025, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Mooreton, ND at 11 AM. Visitation will be from 9:30-10:30 on Monday with a rosary recited by the Christian Mothers at 10:30. Interment will be at the parish cemetery; Fr. Paul Kuhn will officiate. Loretta passed away at St. Gerard's Community of Care, Hankinson.

She was born on February 27, 1925, on a farm near Fairmount, ND. She was the third child of Louis Joseph Bach and Anna Mary (Differding) Bach. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Fairmount, ND.

Loretta and her 7 siblings spoke German at home until they started school, where they learned English. In her teen years, it wasn’t a good idea to speak German to anyone but family, those years Hitler was in power in Germany. If you lived in America, you didn’t tell anyone you were German.

At 17 and with only an 8th grade education, Loretta moved to Wahpeton, ND. She needed to work to help support her family. Working in cafes in the Wahp/Breck area for 5 years. Until she met and married Leo A. Althoff of Mooreton, ND. They lived on the family farm which they purchased and raised their 7 children.

Loretta was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church of Mooreton, active as a forester, Christian Mothers and taught for the religion classes.

Her children were a big part of her life, she opened her home to special ed students, young Farmers Union farmers from Peru, and many friends and relatives that needed a place to spend the night.

Loretta enjoyed baking, sewing, quilting, and gardening. She taught her children many of her life skills.

In retirement from farming Loretta and Leo traveled in their motorhome attending weddings, square dancing and family functions. They spent 21 years together, wintering in Mission, TX, visiting friends and family along the way.

After 64 years of marriage, they moved to St Gerard’s Independent Living Center in Hankinson, ND in November of 2011.

Loretta is survived by her 7 children; Dennis Althoff of Fargo, ND, Linda (Bruce) Olson of Wahpeton, ND, Faye (Tom) Erbes of Pelican Rapids, MN, Shirley (Ed) Solecki of Minneapolis, MN, Daniel (Christy) Althoff of Rochert, MN, Barbara Althoff of Wahpeton, ND, Annamarie Gist of Buffalo, MN. Her 12 loving grandchildren; Heidi Kopatich, Jodi Laney, Brad Erbes, Shantell Sadowski, Jennifer Wentz, Lisa Piche, Jarrod Althoff, Sarah Simpson, Noah Solecki, Lauren Gist, Jordan Gist, and Taylor Gist. Her 25 great-grandchildren; William, Lucy, Tate, Jackson, McKenna, Emersyn, Austin, Katie, Emma, Maggie, Colton, Nolan, Tucker, Dylan, Maren, Rachel, Mason, Danielle, Jakob, Brink, Emma, Desire, Wesley, Megan and Tosha. Loretta is also survived by her sister-in-law Joy Bach. And 4 great-great grandchildren; Kaden, Violet, Hendrik and Thomas. As well as numerus nieces and nephews.

Loretta was preceded in death by her husband Leo, infant daughter, her parents Louis and Anna Mary Bach, her siblings, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law.