Robert Suerth

Robert G. Suerth, 85, died August 11, 2005 at a local care center. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday at the Marillac Manor in Bismarck, with the Rev. William Rushford officiating. Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be held from 12:00 Noon to 9 PM Tuesday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a rosary will be held at 7 PM. Robert was born to Joseph and Louisa Duplaine Suerth on October 29, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of five children. During his last year of high school, his father enrolled him in the College of Alefion Brothers to be a mortician, working with his brother Bud MJ who opened the first one of the home funeral parlors. After graduation, Bob opened his own business and also worked at a famous bar in Chicago that was noted for gangsters and various notorious people. He also played with big bands like Les Brown and Benny Goodman. Deciding he would rather save lives instead of burying them, he joined the Navy Medical Unit. He married Lelia Speers and had four children. After the Navy, he went back to college for anistislogy. Training under Dr. Goodwich, he did the blood transfusions on new borns and adults. He also started five blood banks with Dr. Goodwich. When Dr. Goodwich retired, Bob took over. He also wrote a rule book on blood banks with Dr. Greenwald. This happened in the Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin hospital, where he worked for 20 years. During that time he started the Drum and Bugle Corp and to raise money, he would put on dances. Many rock and roll bands and singers started out at these dances. He was awarded Man of the Year. In Wakefield, Michigan, he was administrator of the hospital for seven years and started a Drum and Bugle Corp there also. He married Marie Keepers and moved to Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, where he ran the Pelican Valley Hospital and was their anistiolgist. He also sold insurance. In 1978, he started to work for the sisters at Richardton Monastery. During this time he hired two doctors for Crosby Hospital and directed the Fargo Gouchos, which he made champions for the first time in 33 years. He was made administrator of the Marillac Manor, which he designed and built, during which time he also ran St. Vincent's Care Center until they could replace him. He worked for the sisters for 20 years. All this time he went to college to keep up his degrees in Health Care Administration, Board of Education in Chicago, Embalming, and the American Academy of Medical Administrators Fellowships. He belonged to the Elks Club, the North Dakota Veterans, Kiwanis, the American Legion, the HFMA, AAMA, ACHCA, Long-term Care Association, and CRNA. He loved working with people and always treated everyone with respect. He enjoyed music, boating, golf, bowling, dancing, and drum corps. Bob is survived by his wife, Marie, Bismarck, ND; his sons, Philip Suerth, and Patrick Georgian Suerth, all of Baltimore, MD; his daughters, Katherine Suerth, New York City, NY, Janet Bresnahan, Sherman Oaks, CA; Marie and Bob's daughter, Jeannie Hunt, Coon Valley, WI; six step-children, Charles Debbie Keepers, Buffalo, TX, Judith DuaneTollefson, Bismarck, ND, Kathleen Russ Gillemot, Oceanside, CA, Cecil Julie Keepers, Covington, GA, Craig Nita Keepers, Rochmont, MO, and Mark Keepers, Rochert, MN; 33 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren. Preceding Robert in death were his parents; two brothers; two sisters; and his wife, Lelia Suerth.

Robert Suerth

October 29, 1919 - August 11, 2005