Grace Reiste
Grace Reiste
Longtime friends here learned recently that Grace Reiste, wife of the 1940s Lusk school superintendent, Irwin Reiste, had died Feb. 28 at Great Falls, Mont. She died in a nursing home from natural causes.
The Reistes came to Lusk in 1943 when he became superintendent of District No. 1 schools, then having 13 independent districts. He served through the war years and until 1949 when Niobrara voted to become a single district. It was he who brought Lee Johnsonbaugh to Lusk as a principal and who later became superintendent of the county district. Community minded, the Reistes were active in the Congregational Church and in other organizations including the Rawhide pageants starting in 1946. Memorial services for Mrs. Reiste were held March 12 at First Presbyterian Church of Great Falls of which she had been an active member.
Born Dec. 8, 1909 in Stanley, N.D., she grew up there and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks.
In 1935 she married Mr. Reiste and they lived in South Dakota and Wyoming before moving to Bozemen, Mont., and to Great Falls in 1955.
She taught school in North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, most recently at Great Falls High School and as a substitute teacher.
She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and the American Association of University Women. Motivated by AAUW's Literacy Program for the Visually Handicapped, over a period of years she read books onto tapes. She also read intricate math manuals onto tapes. In 1977 she was honored by the Great Falls branch of AAUW with a named fellowship.
She enjoyed literature, music, painting and travel as well as fishing, camping and hiking.
Survivors include her husband; a son, David Reiste of LaCrosse, Wis.; a sister, Adah Lattin of Sacramento, Calif.; and a granddaughter. Mr. Reiste has since moved to LaCrosse to be with his son and family. His new address is 2719 Longview Court, LaCrosse, Wis. 54601.