Collette Ternes

Collette Ternes, 86, of Bismarck, passed away on October 5, 2025.

The Memorial Service will be at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 10, 2025, at Good Shepard Lutheran Church, 106 Osage Ave, Bismarck. To view the service livestream please click on the link provided ~ Collette Ternes

A Visitation will be 5-7 PM on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck, and will also be held one hour prior to the service.  A prayer service will begin at 7 PM. 

Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens at 1:30 PM.

Born on July 15, 1939, to Edmund and Adeline (Hanson) Konschak in Harvey, North Dakota, Collette was the eldest of eight children.

Collette attended Goodrich Public School and later Minot State University, where she pursued her dream of becoming a teacher. On December 24, 1958, she married Richard Lee Reiswig at Trinity Lutheran Church. They moved to Bismarck in 1970, where they enjoyed many happy years together until Richard's passing. Collette later married Louie Ternes and enjoyed their marriage until Louie’s passing.

Growing up in Goodrich, ND, Collette was tasked with taking care of her seven siblings, washing many dishes, and cleaning the separator house in the barn before heading to school. She even helped stack bales that her father threw onto the truck. Collette or “Chocolate” as she was called by many, took great pride in reminiscing about her participation in high school sports, especially girls’ basketball.

Collette’s work ethic was instrumental to the makeup of her entire family. She was a caregiver to many; worked as a Head Start aide at Goodrich School; worked alongside Richard in their insurance office in Bismarck; and ran a cleaning business.

Back in the day, Collette was actively involved in Homemakers, PTA, and Farm Bureau. Collette’s potato salad was a love by itself. Family and friends from around the country loved Collette’s potato salad, fudge, dill pickles, and cabbage rolls, or “pigs” as she would refer to them.

Collette will be deeply missed by her children, Kimberla (Mark) Bohrer, Ricky Reiswig, and Lynnette Reiswig; grandchildren, Brandon (Laura) Beaudoin, Jordan (Michelle) Rohrich, Brittany Bohrer, Ashley (Mitch) Hoesing, and Kathryn (Alex) Spillman; great-grandchildren, Riley, Reese and Rex Rohrich and Britta and Xander Beaudoin; and siblings, Dennis (Karen) Konschak, Baylen (Sheri) Konschak, Blair (Kitt) Konschak, and Caroline (Lynn) Johnston.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edmund and Adeline; husbands, Richard and Louie; siblings, Gerald, Bonnilyn, and Kenneth Konschak; and her sons, Matthew and Mark.

The family invites you to fellowship and lunch at the church immediately following the service.

Let Collette’s legacy of love and joy continue to live in the hearts of all who knew her.