Geraldine "Gerry" Beste

Geraldine R. “Gerry” Beste, age 99 of Sauk Centre, died peacefully, surrounded by her family on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at the CentraCare Hospital in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 24 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Tim Baltes officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Patton-Schad Funeral Home and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Thursday at the church.

Geraldine Ruth Olson was born on July 22, 1925 in Montevideo, Minnesota to Gerald and Flavia (Schultz) Olson. She grew up in the Osakis area and graduated from Osakis High School. She married Howard Beste on June 14, 1950 at St. Alexius Catholic Church in West Union. The couple farmed near Osakis and then near Round Prairie. Gerry was a homemaker all her life and was still living at her home at the age of 99. She did all her cleaning and cooking and enjoyed crocheting and gardening. She made the best cookies. Her cookie jar was always full and was the first place her family looked for a treat.

Gerry was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre and the Christian Mothers.

Survivors include her children, Gary (Brenda) Beste of Richmond, Carol (Brad) Dahn of Park Rapids, Arlene Ludwig of Garfield, and Scott (Denise) Beste of North Bend, Washington; nine grandchildren, Andrew and Kathryn Beste, Nicholas, Eric (Lizzy), and Kayla Dahn, Jena (Michael) Huffington, Kari (Corey) Brickweg, and Christopher (Kathryn) Ludwig, and Elena Beste; nine great-grandchildren; sisters, Joan Stabe of Brooklyn Center and Judy Jensen of Osakis; and sister-in-law, Delores Olson of Osakis.

Gerry was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Beste on September 21, 2017; parents; son-in-law, Tom Ludwig; sisters and brother, Erva (Ernie) Jenson, Mae (Norbert) Beste, Shirley (Ken) Brodsky, Audrey (Lowell) Collins, and Wayne Olson; and brothers-in-law, Eugene Stabe and Mervin Jensen.