Lauretta Brandt, 92, Minot, and formerly of rural Newburg, died Wednesday, July 9, 2008, in a Velva nursing home.

Lauretta was born February 8, 1916 in Tacoma Township of Bottineau County near Russell, ND, at her grandfather's farm to Frederick and Alma (Knuth) Gessner. Their family lived there for five years and then moved to the family farm in the Deep area of Bottineau County. Lauretta was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church by Reverend William H. Gierke in April of 1916.

Lauretta went to Deep Township School through the 8th grade and then graduated from Russell High School in 1934. She worked hard on her family's farm and also worked for area families cleaning houses.

Lauretta married Chester A. Brandt on June 21, 1939 at St. John's Lutheran Church - rural Newburg. They lived in Oregon for a few years and then returned to North Dakota, settling on their farmstead in the Russell/Newburg area. Chester and Lauretta celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in 1994.

Lauretta enjoyed gardening, quilting, sewing, playing cards and raising her 3 daughters. She enjoyed traveling with her husband to visit her daughters and their families as well as other destinations after they retired from farming.

After her husband's death in 1994, she moved to Newburg. She resided there for seven years and then moved to Minot to be closer to family. Since moving to Minot she has been a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church. She resided at the Souris Valley Care Center in Velva since June of 2007

Lauretta was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church as well as its quilting club and ladies association. She was a member of the Braille Center at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Bottineau, and a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church its quilting club and LWML.

Her loving family includes: Daughter: Judy (Bob) Getz, Westerly, RI, Jeanne (Clark) Merritt, Show Low, AZ, and Nola (Bruce) Grover, Minot; Grandchildren: Carol Baumann, Middlesex, NJ, Steven (Sandy) Getz, Dunellen, NJ, Lisa (Jude) Riley, Tucson, AZ, Amy (Jesus) Bojorquez, Tucson, AZ, Sabrina (Travis) Herrmann, Minot and Andrew Grover, Minneapolis, MN; 13 Great Grandchildren; 1 Great Great Grandchild; Sister: Sharon (Paul) Staebler, Clayton, NC; and 10 Nieces and Nephews.

Lauretta was preceded in death by her parents, Frederick & Alma Gessner, husband, Chester, three brothers: Marcus, Eugene, and Cecil.

Funeral service: Monday, July 14, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. in St. John's Lutheran Church - rural Newburg, ND;
Interment: St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery - rural Newburg, ND;
Visitation: Sunday, July 13, 2008 from noon - 5:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot;
In lieu of plants and flowers the family prefers memorials to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch or Trinity Hospice.