Renee Geske was born on October 7, 1950 in New Rockford, ND, the third of seven children of Vincent and Lillie (Christ) Hartl. Growing up on a wheat farm on the plains of North Dakota, she learned farming from her dad and Uncle Ed. She attended several country schools, where her mother was often the teacher, and graduated from St. James High School. She received her Associate’s Degree in Nursing from North Dakota State University in Fargo, and she later earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Mary in Bismarck.
On August 10, 1970, Renee was married to Mike Geske in Jamestown, ND. They lived on a ranch near the Geske homestead in rural Pingree, ND, where they raised their two sons, Jeremy and Matthew. Renee worked as a nurse at Carrington Hospital and Jamestown Hospital. In 1997, she was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. While receiving treatment, she worked part-time at the Lutheran Home in New Rockford and at Golden Acres nursing home in Carrington. Following her husband’s death in 1999, Renee was able to stay on the ranch thanks to the kindness and generosity of the Geske family In 2003, in preparation for the birth of her first grandchild (Michael Robert), she moved to New Prague, MN and became a much beloved and well-respected oncology nurse at St. Francis Cancer Center in nearby Shakopee.
Renee had a strong affection for family and friends, and she found great enjoyment in playing softball and watching Vikings and Twins games, gardening, cooking hearty meals and baking, traveling to tropical islands and sunny beaches, her nursing career, scrapbooking, going to movies with her good friends, and spoiling her grandchildren. She was an avid book reader, theater patron, and lover of all kinds of music from country to opera.
Renee is survived by her mother, Lillie Hartl of New Rockford, ND; sons, Jeremy Geske (Heidi) of New Prague, MN and Matthew Geske (Virgilio) of Arlington, VA; sisters, Linda Lies (Willy) of Fargo, ND, Lois Schafer (Bill) of West Fargo, ND, and Patty Wagner of New Rockford, ND; brothers Tom Hartl (Dawn) of New Rockford, ND and Tim Hartl (Kim) of Sheyenne, ND; grandchildren, Michael and Milly; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Vincent Hartl; her husband Mike Geske; and her sister, Rita Barbeau.
Renee died on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, at her home in New Prague at the age of 65 years.
Funeral services will be held in both New Prague and Carrington, ND. In New Prague, the service will be held at 7 PM on Thursday, November 12th, with visitation from 5 – 7 PM all at Bruzek Funeral Home. Mr. Jim Witty will officiate. In Carrington, ND, there will be a visitation on Friday evening, November 13th from 4 – 7 PM at the Evans Funeral Home, with a prayer service at 7 PM. On Saturday morning, a funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM at Federated Church, UCC/UMC in Carrington with Reverend Justin Schnackenberg officiating. Burial will take place at Carrington Cemetery, followed by lunch at the church hall. Memorials are preferred to: St. Francis Cancer Center, 1455 St. Francis Ave., Shakopee, MN 55379.
