Rena B. Aanstad

Rena B. Aanstad, 89 of Devils Lake formerly of Hampden ND passed away on Monday, September 28, 2020 at CHI, St. Alexius Health, Devils Lake Hospital. 

Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday, October 2, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  A Graveside Service will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at the Storlie Cemetery, rural Hampden with Reverend Craig Wentzel officiating. 

Rena Bernice Lichtenbarger, one of 8 children (3 boys, 5 girls) was born on a farm near Hampden ND to Lauren and Bernice “Bonnie” (Meyer) Lichtenbarger on March 7, 1931.   As a small child, the family moved to Starkweather ND.  Rena graduated from Starkweather High School and after graduation moved to Minneapolis MN to attend the College of Medical Technology and received a degree in X-Ray.  During college, Rena resided with her father’s cousin, Rosamond and Larry Kremers.  Upon graduating, Rena worked at the hospital in Rugby ND. 

On October 21, 1951, Rena was united in marriage to Morris Aanstad, with whom she had been going with since a junior in high school.  After their marriage Rena and Morris lived on Morris’s farm in Hampden after his parents moved into town. 

Rena and Morris raised 5 children, Maureen, Joel, Brian, Purnell and Brad.  As was a custom in those days, Rena attended to a large garden and did much canning for the family needs. 

Upon retiring from farming, they moved to Devils Lake and took many trips with Western State Bank and Farmers Union.  They also made many new friends in their Devils Lake home. 

Rena’s loving family include her children Maureen Meyer, Longsdale MN, Joel (Pamela) Aanstad, Fargo ND, Brian (Michelle) Aanstad, Hampden, Purnell Aanstad, Wahpeton ND and Brad (Patti Peterson) Aanstad, St. Cloud MN; 13 grandchildren Amy, Gary, Shelly and Cory, Travis and Austin, Katie, Luke, Josh and Melissa, Robert, Deidre and Laura; 14 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and their families. 

Rena was preceded in death by her parents, husband Morris on March 19, 2018, grandson Jason Aanstad, sisters and brothers-in-law Marjorie and Francis Froehler, Jackie and Art Lindenberg, Audrey and Floris Puppe and Caroline and Bill Boyes, brothers and sisters-in-law Clare and Marie Lichtenbarger, Clayton and Elaine Lichtenbarger and infant brother Charles, parents-in-law Jonas and Anna Aanstad and sister-in-law Avis Aanstad.