Joan Neidhardt, 86, of the Richardton area died Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Health Center, Dickinson. Joan’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Monday, September 24, 2007 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Richardton with Fr. Boniface Muggli, OSB as the celebrant. Interment will follow at the Kyseth Cemetery, Marshall, ND. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. There will be a vigil at 7 p.m., Sunday at Ladbury Funeral Service with Deacon Ralph Stockert presiding. Visitation will continue one hour prior to service at the church.

Joan Cecelia Neidhardt was born September 23, 1920 at Richardton, the daughter of Arthur and Elizabeth (VonRuden) Bierig. She completed 12 years of education, graduating from Taylor High School. Joan married Albert Neidhardt on March 19, 1939 and worked with him farming and ranching on her place of birth, which they purchased from her Dad in the early 1940’s.

Joan and Albert bought and used one of the first movie cameras, filming farm scenes, rodeos, and later with the modern cameras enjoyed enlarging and framing sunsets. She was also an accomplished horsewoman, and pianist, she would play the piano for hours – playing some of the latest hits after purchasing music sheets. Joan was known in the community for baking the best caramel rolls and always had a pan ready for morning coffee for her and dad and any one who would show up.

Joan sold Tupperware products for nearly 20 years, winning for herself a new car in the early 60’s. She organized the first Girl’s 4-H club in Dunn County, and served as leader. She was very active in her local Home Makers Club for many years. Joan worked to have a source of funds for the mentally challenged, starting at first having rummage sales in her home, and finally building a new facility now known as the Dickinson ARC-AID Thrift Shop which sells donated clothing with proceeds used to support programs for the mentally challenged. She drove over 100 miles per day every week to manage the shop for 25 years. She trained over 50 volunteers to sort items for sale and determined the prices for each and every item arriving from donators.

Joan was always involved in a community or church related project, early in her years as a young mother she helped raise funds for the purpose of remodeling the church basement into a kitchen for Fall Dinners. She was a member of the St. Martin’s Catholic Church of Dodge, and at present of St. Mary’s Church at Richardton. Also a member of the Association for Retarded Children, and was selected as State Merit Mother of the year in 1978, enjoying the hospitality dinner at the Governor’s mansion. She always worked hard and stayed very active.

Survived by one daughter, Joyce (Mel) Gress, Mandan, ND; three sons, Terry, Alexander, ND; Larry of Bismarck, and Jeff (Kaye) of Fountain Hills, AZ; 13 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Ruby Dolliver of Yakima, WA. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Albert, three children, Ruby Hoff, Don Neidhardt and Jim Neidhardt, one great-granddaughter, Cody Gress, her sisters Alice Heckel-Koenig and Elaine Koesel, and a brother, Art Bierig.