We were sad to receive the news that Burt Riskedahl passed away on December 12th. From Burt’s obituary at the Star Tribune:
“Burt Riskedahl passed away after a brief illness, at home on December 12, 2023, in Oakdale, MN. He was 83 years old. Burt was born and raised in Tuttle, North Dakota. He received his Bachelor of Arts in social work from Jamestown College in North Dakota, his Master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver, and his Juris Doctor from William Mitchell Law School’s night program. In his professional life, Burt focused on helping families and children, first as a social worker in Duluth and St. Paul, then as a lawyer and then as a judge in Bismarck, North Dakota where he and his family lived for 42 years. From 1979 until his retirement in 2006 Burt served as a Burleigh County Court Judge and then as a North Dakota State Trial Court District Judge. He was recognized for bringing “Compassion to the Court House,” and he received the Love Without Fear award from Bismarck’s Abused Adult Resource Center for his work on behalf of domestic violence victims. After his retirement, Burt served on several nonprofit and state boards and volunteered regularly with community organizations, including serving as a trustee at the University of Jamestown for over 20 years. He also participated in Rotary projects in South America, Central America, and Sri Lanka. In his final years, he championed Death with Dignity and supported Minnesota’s End-of-Life Options Act. Burt felt deep gratitude for his connection to family and friends and for the 21 years of fellowship and support through AA.”
– Burt’s obituary, Star Tribune
Burt Was an Active Volunteer with Mano a Mano since 2020
Burt’s volunteering journey with Mano a Mano began in July 2020 when he donated a trailer to send to Bolivia. He quickly became a master of packing medical linens, taking under his wing several groups of volunteers; he was a regular presence at our St. Paul warehouse until just a few months ago. He was insightful and always willing to have a good laugh. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
