Katherine M. Zent, 89, Lefor died Monday, July 13, 2009 at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck. Katherine’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Friday, July 17, 2009 at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, south of Richardton with Fr. Boniface Muggli, OSB as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Stephen’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Friday. There will be a rosary and vigil at 7:30 p.m., Thursday.
Katherine Marie Koenig was born June 17, 1920 on the family farm north of Mott, the daughter of Emerick and Eva (Neurohr) Koenig. She was raised and educated in the Mott area. Katherine worked as a nanny in New York and also as a nurses aide at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn. over a period of four years.
Katherine married Joseph J. Zent on November 5, 1945 at St. Vincent’s Catholic Church, Mott. They lived in Mott prior to beginning their lives on a farm. The Zent family farmed north of Mott until 1955 when they moved to their farm east of Lefor, and where she has remained since.
Katherine belonged to St. Stephen’s Catholic Church where she was honored to have taken care of the church linens for many years, and had also belonged to the Catholic Daughters and the Christian Mothers. She enjoyed crocheting (having made an afghan for each one of her grandchildren at graduation), and also being able to spend time reading.
Katherine is survived by her five children, Bob (Gini) Zent, Dickinson, Nancy (Larry) Hartman, Dickinson, Richard (Jeanette) Zent, Lefor, Jack (Diane) Zent, Washburn, and Duane (Karen) Zent, Lefor; three sisters, Leona (Alex) Friedt, Mott, Josephine (Albert) Messmer, Mott, and Luella (William) Friedt, Dickinson; 19 grandchildren, Bryan (Catherine) Zent, Gene (Tania) Zent, Jessica (Brian) Bell, Kevin (Kristen) Zent, Jackie (Bill) Sieber, Joleen (Eric) Click, Kimberly (Chad) Groll, Ashley (David) Larson, Andrew Hartman, Justin Zent, Carrie Zent, Katie Zent, Jared Zent, Allison (Kris) Drager, Rachel Zent, LeeAnn (David) Staffne, Kayla Zent, DelRae (Joshua) Reisenauer, and Garrett Zent; and 16 great-grandchildren. Katherine was preceded in death by her husband, Joe on September 17, 1975; her parents; daughter, Pat; sister and brother-in-law, Anna (Ben) Obrigewitch; infant sister, Magdelene; brother and sister-in-law, Fred (Betty) Koenig; and son-in-law, Maurice Hamann.
