Anita Rae “Neen” Lillquist

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/210281200/anita-rae-lillquist

Anita “Neen” R. Lillquist, 79, of Guthrie, MN died Friday, February 17, 2017 at her home in Guthrie.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, March 25, 2017 at the Cease Family Funeral Home in Bemidji. A visitation will be held from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 pm, Friday, March 24, 2017 and one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the funeral home.

Neen was born May 27, 1937 in Aberdeen, SD, the daughter of Merrill and Marjorie (Thornburg) Namock. She achieved her goal of Registered Nurse with Masters Degree in Nursing Administration. She married Arthur Lillquist June of 1970 in Yankton, SD. She was the Director of the Northwest Minnesota Community Health Education Council in Bemidji in the mid 70’s, advocating for and providing health education and disease prevention services. She was the Director of Nursing at Ah-Gwah-Ching State Nursing Home. She also had her own independent business of Health Care Consulting and Education for several years. She served as Director of Nursing Services at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan for three years, then served in Katmandu, Nepal as a senior nurse administrator under the auspices of the World Health Organization. After a short stint as adjunct nursing faculty at Bemidji State University, she was a public health nurse in Beltrami County for rural outreach maternal and child health, and a founding member of the Mothers and Infants Action Team in Beltrami County. In addition to her work in nursing and health care administration, Neen was a founding member of the Headwaters Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. She had served in many capacities for this lay-led fellowship. Equally important, she had served as a mentor for young people and board members alike. She was instrumental in the success of the North Country Health Alliance Partnership with Tomsk Central Regional Hospital in Russia. Neen traveled to Tomsk with a Bemidji team of healthcare workers to improve the Russian healthcare system. As a volunteer or as a professional, Neen brought passion and a loving commitment to people. She was a member of the Northwest Minnesota Women’s Hall of Fame and received Hamline University Outstanding Achievement Award. Neen enjoyed gardening, knitting, crocheting, reading and international traveling; she was a life long learner.

She is survived by her husband Art Lillquist; step-children; Karen (John) Filardo, Keith (Judy) Lillquist and David (Amy) Lillquist; grandchildren; Jennifer, Jonathon, Daniella, Whitney, Anders, Gus and Henry; 5 great grandchildren; brother Keith (Kathy) Namock and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents.