Anna M. Obritsch, 99, formerly of Belfield, died Sunday, August 7, 2011 at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Health Center, Dickinson. Anna’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Friday, August 12, 2011 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Belfield with Fr. Shannon Lucht as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. There will be a rosary & vigil at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Anna Marie Hecker was born January 6, 1912 to Louie M. and Christina (Heinz) Hecker of Fairfield. She attended country school and after graduating from the 8th grade, she remained on the family farm assisting with farm work.
On November 14, 1934 she married Louis Obritschkewitsch. They lived on a farm a few miles east of Fairfield. During this time Anna was a clerk for the Fairfield School District for six years. Following the death of Louis on December 8, 1954, the farm was sold and she moved into Belfield with her children. She did domestic work to aid in supporting herself and her children. After her boys graduated from high school and joined the military, the name was changed from Obritschkewitsch to Obritsch. Anna belonged to St. Bernard’s church, Belfield Senior Citizens, and the church guild. In March 2005, she became a resident of St. Benedict’s Health Center.
Anna is survived by her son, Kenneth (Jeanie) Obritsch, Belfield; her daughters, Beverly (Pat) Redmond, Belfield, and Viola (Willie) Paluck, Dickinson; a daughter-in-law, Ruth Obritsch, Hutchinson, Minn.; 15 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; four great, great-grandchildren; sisters, Emily Knudtson, Dickinson, and Frances Traver, Thompson Falls, Mont.; brother, Ray Hecker, Fairfield; and sisters-in-law, Victoria Hecker and Reggie Obritsch. She was preceded in death by her husband Louis; her parents; son Russell; sisters, Monica Sobo and Elizabeth Hartinger; brothers, Andrew Hecker and Anton Hecker; son-in-law, Charles Karsky; and a brother and sister in infancy.
