Germaine J. Riegert

Germaine JoAnne (Bray) Riegert, Maajii-Zikizegekwe, the daughter of Kenneth and Julia (Simon) Bray, was born on June 13, 1939, in White Earth, and raised on the family farm outside of Ogema. As the oldest child in her family, she helped care for her many siblings while attending school and graduated as valedictorian from Waubun High School in 1957. Germaine went on to receive a degree in Accounting and Business Administration in 1964 from Moorhead State University-the first woman to receive such a degree from the University. Shortly after moving to Minneapolis, where she worked for the State of Minnesota's Public Examiners Office, Germaine met the love of her life, Leo Riegert, of Beaulieu. The two were married on October 16, 1965, and lived for a year in Minneapolis, until returning to the White Earth Indian Reservation. The pair made their life-long home at a farmstead on County Road 3 in Mahnomen County where they raised their seven children.

In 1966, Germaine was hired to work as the first Chief Financial Officer for the White Earth tribe, a position she held until 1983. During her many years of service to the tribe, she researched and wrote grants that provided the funding to bring Head Start, WIC, youth programs, nursing programs, and elder nutrition to the reservation. She also helped develop a computerized accounting system for the tribe and was instrumental in the revitalization of the powwow in the late 1960's. After her time at the tribe, Germaine started her second career with the US Post Office-serving as a rural mail carrier in Mahnomen and the Postmaster in both Greenbush and Winger. Germaine formally retired from the postal service in 2001 and began her full-time, part-time work as an accountant, bookkeeper, and clerk for local organizations, including the City of Waubun, Kateri Tekakwitha Circle, White Earth Land Recovery Project, and the area's Catholic churches.

Germaine valued education and was an enthusiastic life-long learner. After working to establish the White Earth Tribal and Community College in the late 1990's, she eventually received an Associate of Arts degree in Indian Studies in 2020 from the college. Along the way, she also took two years of courses at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Even after her graduation, and every semester to date (asking last week that someone pick up her books), she took classes part-time from the Tribal College. Beyond just learning, Germaine was generous with sharing what she knew, teaching and providing words of wisdom and stories to everyone whose path crossed hers.

She attended St. Benedict's Church in White Earth as a devoted Catholic, and was a dedicated volunteer throughout her life. She was a passionate advocate of the Kateri Tekakwitha Conference and local Circles. Germaine served active roles on the Waubun-Ogema-White Earth School Board, the Minnesota State Arts Board – Region 2 Arts Council, the Waubun Community Council, and the Minnesota Farmers Union.

Her family and community were the most important things in her life, and along with her husband, Leo, she spent her time traveling the many backroads of the state (praying the rosary along the way) to ensure that she was a constant presence in her loved one's lives. Rarely found without a crochet hook in her hand, Germaine loved crafting and creating gifts to share with others. She also enjoyed beadwork, gardening and canning, reading, participating in traditional ceremonies, and printing and collecting recipes (though not necessarily cooking them).

After the peaceful passing of her husband, Leo, in 2018, Germaine moved between Waubun, Mahnomen, and Ulen, before meeting her Creator on Saturday, August 23, 2025, under the loving care of her family and the staff at Viking Manor Nursing Home.

Germaine is survived by her children: Leo Jr. of Westerville, OH, Kenneth (Christie) of Sabin, MN, JoAnne (John) of Waubun, Mary (Arnie) of Waubun, David (Amanda) of Beltrami, MN, and Joseph (Amanda) of Mahnomen; her grandchildren: Nicole, Julia, Leah (Jacob), Jacob, Maria, Keith (Chelsey), Samantha, Cole (Lydia), Austin, Brett, and Gabriel; her great-grandchildren: Theodore, Emmy, Kenna, Andie, Leo, Hadley, Carson, and Axel; her siblings: Donald (Dorothy), Merelyn (Joy), Virgil (Mary), Kathy (Dann), Carroll (Kristie), Michael, Mark (Karen); and many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leo; her son, Paul; her brothers, Kenneth Jr. and LeRoy; an infant sister, Mary; and a great-grandson, James.

Giga-waabamin

Visitation will be held Friday, August 29, 2025, from 5-8 pm at the Anderson Family Funeral Home in Mahnomen, MN. A prayer service will begin at 6 pm followed by a traditional ceremony.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Waubun, with a rosary beginning at 9:40 am. Inurnment will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, Beaulieu, MN.

Germaine's family prefers memorials be given in her memory to either St. Ann's Parish of Waubun, MN, St. Anne's Parish of Naytahwaush, MN, or St. Benedict's Parish of White Earth, MN. Checks can be given or sent to Father John Cox at the parish office, 1112 3rd St. Waubun, MN 56589.

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