The funeral for Katherine "Katie" Weigel, Napoleon, ND will be held Thursday, May 25, 2017 at 10:30 AM at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Napoleon, ND. Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with a prayer service Wednesday at 7:00 PM at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Napoleon, ND. Burial will be at the St. Philip Neri Catholic Cemetery, Napoleon, ND.

Katherine (Katie) Feist, daughter of Lawrence and Magdalena (Welder) Feist was born on February 01, 1928 and raised on a farm southwest of Napoleon in the St. Anthony area. Katie married Bernhard (Ben) Weigel on October 17, 1949. Katie and Ben farmed southwest of Napoleon in the St. Boniface area where they raised 13 children (8 girls and 5 boys). They continued to farm until they retired in 1989. Katie and Ben built their retirement home and resided in Napoleon.

Katie loved to sew, quilt, and crochet. All of her family members have an abundance of blankets designed and fabricated by her along with a variety of other fabric and yarn crafts. Katie was also an excellent cook and baker who prepared foods and meals from scratch and often without a recipe to follow, especially her homemade German favorites. While on the farm, Katie always maintained a very large garden and spent a lot of time canning various vegetables and jellies. She was hard working and resourceful in many other ways such as making goose-down pillows from geese raised on their diversified farm.

Katie loved visiting with family and friends, especially with her grandchildren. She made a themed quilt for each grandchild based on their interests. Above all, Katie's most precious gift was the way she cared for others. She always ensured everyone was well fed and their needs met. Just one example of this gift was when she tirelessly spent endless hours at Ben's bedside during his final years of Alzheimer's disease. She was a calm, soft-hearted, and devoted woman of deep Catholic faith who spent a lot of time each day saying prayers, praying the rosary, and watching the Catholic channel. Each day, before going to bed, she would sprinkle holy water in the direction of where each of her 13 children live. Katie was a member of the Christian Mothers at St. Boniface and at St. Philip Neri Catholic Churches. She served as vice president and secretary while at St. Boniface.

Katie died peacefully May 22, 2017 surrounded by all of her 13 children. She was 89 years old.

Katie is survived by 8 daughters and 5 sons, Bernice (Gerald) Wolf, Bismarck; Larry (Amy) Weigel, Devils Lake; Loretta (Carlyle) Kaufman, Powder Springs, GA; Shirley Romej, Tuscon, AZ; Kathy (Al) Weisz, Bismarck; Berna (Joe) Vetter, Bismarck; Du-Wayne (Donna) Weigel, Bismarck; Eileen (David) Moser, Napoleon; Allan (Connie) Weigel, Kintyre; Randy (Cindy) Weigel, Kintyre; Sharmae (Richard) Vetter, Fargo; Marie (Dan) Vetter, Linton; Bernard (Tammy) Weigel, Apple Valley, MN; 49 Grandchildren and 36 Great Grandchildren. She is also survived by 5 sisters, Pauline Buelow, Bismarck, Maggie (Martin) Leier, Kintyre, Alvina (Elmer) Madler, Mandan, Florence (Gene) Mosbrucker, Mandan, and Mary Jean Feist, Fargo; one brother, Joe (Donna) Feist, Napoleon; one sister-in-law, Leona Feist, Bismarck; one brother-in-law, Andy Horner, Linton; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Katie was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Weigel; two Grandsons, Scott Weigel and Robert Vetter; one son-in-law, Robert Romej; her parents, Lawrence and Magdalena Feist; two sisters, Theresa Feist and Rose Horner; one brother, Larry Feist; and one brother-in-law, Steve Buelow.