Therese Bien

Therese Marie Bien, age 92, formerly a longtime resident of Goodhue, died on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina.

Therese was born on January 22, 1929 in Goodhue, MN, the daughter of Vincent G. and Agnes R. (Guenther) O’Reilly. She graduated from Goodhue High School and went on to Minnesota School of Business.

She married Vaughn Bien on September 15, 1949 at St. Columbkill Catholic Church. They raised seven children together.  She was a mother, homemaker, sold Avon, and bookkeeper for the Goodhue Elevator and later for the Sleepy Eye Telephone Company.  Therese was very active in the Goodhue Community. She not only supported her husband’s works, but also worked the blood mobiles, active in the Lioness Club, Holy Trinity Church, ladies aid, and a strong advocate for the swimming pool. At one time, she was a Boy Scout leader and a Girl Scout leader. Somewhere she found the energy to also go to her kids’ activities.

She and Vaughn loved to travel in the U.S. and overseas (Ireland being her favorite) and winter in Florida. She loved playing any type of card game. She enjoyed baking pies, bread, and Christmas cookies along with spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. In her 80s, she rode on a tube behind a boat on the lake with family help. This was quite a feat since she was petrified of the water. She was just working on her bucket list.

She is survived by her brother, Larry (Jerry Osborne) O’Reilly of Anaheim, CA; sister-in-law, Carol Bien of Hastings; her children, Kathy Johnson, Cherie (Richard “Dick”) Bien-Coffman of Eagan, Kerry (Pat) Bien of Goodhue, Vaughn, Jr. "Bud” (Bernadette) Bien of Burnsville, Tim (Denise) Bien of Shakopee, and John (Andrea) Bien of Savage; grandchildren, Jody, Jeremiah, Kellie, Sean, Vaughn III "David", Megan (Scott) Roehl, Tommy, Amber, Brody, and Olivia; great grandchildren, Alissa, Alex, JJ, Devon, Liam, and Kyler; step grandchildren, Jennifer (Ryan) Korte, Tiffany (Greg) Blaszer, Dan (Sarah) Deters, and Joe (Laura) Deters; step great grandchildren, Abbie, Ella, Ezra, Jacob, and Thomas; and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Vaughn on May 17, 2021; son, Thomas “Tommy”; grandson, Joel; and brothers, Gerald “Lefty” O’Reilly, Donald O’Reilly, and James O’Reilly.

We would also like to express our gratitude to Cannon Rivers Senior Living, Regents AL, and the care team at Fairview Southdale for their wonderful care.

Visitation will be held on Monday, March 21 from 4-7 pm at St. Columbkill Catholic Church, Belle Creek. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, March 22 at 11 am, with visitation from 10-11 am, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Goodhue. Interment will be at St. Columbkill-Holy Trinity Cemetery.

The mass will be live-streamed and available to watch at the link below.

Memorials may be given in Therese's name to the MN Lions Eye Bank, Goodhue Swimming Pool, Goodhue Historical Society, or donor's choice.