Loretta Mayer, age 85, of St. John, ND passed away peacefully on Monday, August 17, 2026 at SMP-St. Kateri Hospital, Rolla, ND.

Loretta Faye Mayer was born on August 10, 1941 in Rolla, ND to Otto and Laura (Sager) Strietzel. She was raised on a small family homestead farm east of the International Peace Garden. Growing up on the farm included helping with many indoor and outdoor chores. She often talked about how the farm instilled in her the love of her dogs, cats, horses, ponies, sheep, and chickens. As an only child, she was close to her many cousins. She attended Hutchinson School located at Lake Upsilon until the 8th grade, graduating from the St. John Public School, and furthering her education at NDSU School of Forestry in Bottineau for two years obtaining a Secretarial Degree. Loretta married Joseph C. Mayer, Jr. from Lankin, ND, who she met in college, on June 7, 1961 at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in St. John. Together they raised three children, Rebecca, Kenneth, and Laurie. They lived in Valley City, Ashley, Wolford, and Walhalla, before moving back to take over the family dairy farm at rural St. John. Loretta worked briefly as a secretary for a law firm before the children were born, was then a stay-at-home mom, and later entered the workforce as a bookkeeper for many accounting firms throughout her career: Kram, Balintona, Steinke, Foss, and Bergsrud. Her daily activities included doing chores on the dairy farm before and after work, where she shared her work ethic and farm experience teaching her children and grandchildren the joys of rural living, from how to milk a cow, both by hand and machine; feeding calves and caring for horses, barn cats and kittens, dogs, bottle lambs and sheep, raising and showing beef cattle and poultry; driving tractors, trucks, operating equipment, making hay, cleaning the barn and milk room. She enjoyed many hobbies including reading, sewing, flower gardening and watching television. She was also a 4-H Leader for many years. She always had a large home library and her family has fond memories of her encouraging reading with trips to the Walhalla Public Library, and purchasing many books for her collections or for her family. In her leisure, when not reading, she could be found sewing or crocheting, producing many wonderful items and memories for her family. Loretta was wonderful at gathering information, a genealogist at heart, publishing many family history books. Loretta is best remembered for her devotion to her family, from attending all school and social events that her children and grandchildren participated in, from sports, music, to horse shows, and also organizing and attending family reunions. She was always ready to travel, taking many trips to see family and friends and maybe doing genealogical research along the way. Saturdays were spent going to rummage sales and shopping.

Loretta is survived by her children, Rebecca (Larry) Leonard of St. John, Kenneth Mayer of St. John, and Laurie Mayer of Graford, TX; three grandchildren, Larissa (Caz) Leonard-Brien, Larry William (Neon) Leonard, and John Tyler Adkins; six great grandchildren, Jacob Leonard, Chance Leonard, Liam Leonard, Lani Leonard, Lana Leonard, and Evelyn Brien; and sister-in-law, Marian Linnell of Deering, ND.

Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Laura Strietzel, husband, Joseph C. Mayer, Jr., great grandson, Chandler Leonard, brothers and sisters in law, Richard (Blanche) Mayer, Robert Mayer, Thomas (Dorothy) Mayer, Gordon (Marian) Mayer, Genevieve (Lyle) Howatt, and Augustine “Gus” (Jan) Mayer.

A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, August 28, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Rolla Presbyterian Church, Rolla, ND. Dave Schnackenberg officiating. Burial will follow funeral services at Rolla City Cemetery, Rolla, ND.

Elick Funeral Home, Rolla, ND.