Linda Riskedahl

Linda Theresa Gietzen Riskedahl (70) was reunited with her heavenly family on June 4, 2024 after a 47 year battle with MS and Stage IV cancer towards the end of her life. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho on July 31, 1953, to Harold and Pauline (Kobilansky) Gietzen. She grew up proud of her Polish and German heritage. Her family moved to Bismarck, North Dakota where she was raised. She married Ron Riskedahl in September 1975 and together they had five children. One only needed to spend a few minutes with Ron and Linda to know the definition of true love. Together they raised their children on the family farm in Tuttle, North Dakota. When she had the chance, she loved to travel to beautiful places, including Brazil, New York,  California, Israel, Greece, Italy, Holland, and Ecuador. 

Despite her health challenges, she led a life of love and kindness and took joy in being a wife, mother, and nana, as well as being active in her community. She was known for her wonderful voice and sang at many events. She loved to sew and many of those closest to her were recipients of beautiful handmade quilts, dresses, dolls, and costumes. She enjoyed having exchange students and foster children in her home. She was so proud to consider them like her own children and in the end, she was deeply touched by the many miles they traveled to visit her one last time. She was also a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was proud of her membership and loved serving in the temple.  Through her failing health, her love of the Savior sustained her as she eventually became bedbound. She loved to do family research and was very passionate about genealogy. She continued to love genealogy and created the opportunity for the next generation of her family to learn about their ancestors by researching many names each day.

She is rejoicing in heaven with her son, Andrew; her parents, Harold and Pauline Gietzen; her sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Larry Heidt; and many family members known to her because of her love of genealogy. She is survived by her husband Ron; and daughters Ronda (Ron Christenson), Leesa (Dan Jones), Jill (Steven Swenson), and Sally (Jason Cook); her siblings Ted (Peggy) Gietzen, Tom (Carol) Gietzen, Kathy (Jim) Kohler, JoAnn (Barry) Brilz, Donna (Mike) Ulmen, and Gerard Gietzen; her exchange students, Irene, Megumi, Maria, Andres, Erick, Ai, Oscar; and her grandchildren: Addison, Kylee, Braden, Kari, Emmalynn, Cassidee, Samuel, Preston, Brynja, Adam, Livia, Andrew, Annalee, Ryker, Brexton, Maxwell, Tamma, Jacob, and James; and many nieces, nephews, and dear family and friends who have meant so much to her.  

The family would like to extend a special thanks to her daughter, Leesa; sister, Donna; Dawn from CHI Home Health Care and Linda’s Red River Hospice team- Sheri, Lindsay, and Jenny for the loving care of our mother and nana. 

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 9 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. Visitation will continue from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. June 10 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1500 Country West Rd, Bismarck.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. Monday, June 10, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bismarck. We welcome everyone of all faiths and traditions to come and celebrate her life with us. For those unable to attend, a zoom link for the service livestream will be available here:https://zoom.us/j/91999242998

Linda will be buried next to her son in the Tuttle, North Dakota Cemetery. 

All donations received on her behalf will be given to the Ronald McDonald House Charity in support of her grandchild, Adam Jones, fighting Stage IV germ cell cancer. 

She will be missed by all who loved her. God be with you ‘til we meet again.