Celeste Runge, 93, Dickinson, died Friday, July 19, 2013 at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson. Celeste’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Todd Kreitinger as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson, with a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., with Deacon Ron Keller presiding.
Celeste Pereira was born April 26, 1920 in Georgetown British Guiana, South America, the daughter of George and Cecelia M. (Gonsalves) Pereira. She was raised and educated in Georgetown.
Celeste went to work as the Operations Officer and later as the Adjutant to the Base Commander for the United States Air Force at Atkinson Air Force Base outside of her hometown of Georgetown during World War II.
She came to the United States and was united in marriage to Marvin Runge on July 21, 1949 in Dickinson. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Dickinson Clinic, and also in the family owned business, Park Avenue Upholstery. Her most important job was raising their eight children.
She belonged to the Catholic Daughters, the local gardening club, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and Homemakers Club. She enjoyed crocheting, and gardening.
Celeste is survived by her husband, Marvin; their eight children, Gregory Runge, Bismarck, Damian Runge, Phoenix, Ariz., Marlon (Nina) Runge, Camano Island, Wash., Christianne Runge, Washington, DC, Desiree (Julian) Delzell, Carl Junction, Mo., Lucien (Barbara) Runge, Costa Mesa, Calif., Etienne (Louise) Runge, Costa Mesa, Calif., and Michael Runge, Bismarck; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and two siblings, Frank Pereira, Melbourne Victoria, Australia, and Doreen MacDonnell, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was preceded in death by her parents; and three siblings, Thelma Ashby, Claude Pereira, Compton Pereira.
