Barbara Bianco

Barbara Bianco, 65, passed away Thursday, May 15, 2025. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 11:00AM at the Bismarck Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Barbara Ann Fetch was born to Vernon and Shirley (Schwandt) Fetch on September 18, 1959, their third daughter in as many years. She attended St. Mary’s Central High School her freshman through junior years, graduating from Century High School in the class of 1977. After high school Barb worked for several years at the iconic McDowell’s Big Boy.

When charitable gaming was legalized in North Dakota, Barb started a 40+ year career as a blackjack dealer and gaming manager. She worked for the non-profits ND Safety Council, the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation, and The Convention and Visitors Bureau. She retired in 2023 as her health issues made it too difficult to deal the cards. She met many people and made life-long friendships along the way.

Barb married William Bianco II in 1984; they had two children together, a son William III, and a daughter, Elizabeth.

While undergoing treatments for cancer as a young adult, Barb taught herself to crochet and was very skilled and creative at it. Many hats and scarfs were brought at Christmas time so her nieces and nephews could take their pick. Her “angry birds” hats were legendary and always a popular choice!

In 1995, Barb purchased her mom’s house, the one she and her siblings spent most of their upbringing in, thereby keeping the home in the family. She took great pride in decorating the yard for various holidays.

After successfully defeating her cancer, Barb saw every day as a gift and lived her life accordingly, on her terms. Music and attending concerts & plays were a favorite pastime. She saw Bette Midler numerous times. Her love for movies was well known. She had hundreds of DVD’s & videos. Barb was an ace at movie trivia and sprinkled movie quotes throughout her conversations.

Even though her body failed her, her mind never did. She remembered many details right to the end. In her final months, Barb was content to just have someone with her to watch a movie. She would doze off and on, but the movie continued to play. If it wasn’t a movie, it was “Little House on the Prairie” that was almost always on in the background, except for when the TV show “Jeopardy” came on. She loved that show, and no matter what she was doing, come 4:30pm we had to be quiet and watch it. Barb was very smart and knew a lot of the questions!

Her grandsons were a source of great joy for her. Many hours were spent with them doing fun activities and she has countless pictures on her phone to prove it. Some of her happiest times were those spent on her pontoon on the Missouri River with family, friends, but especially her grandsons. It was her “happy place.”

A Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in November of 2022 slowed Barb down, but she tried to stay as independent as she could. She eventually moved to Edgewood Vista Assisted Living in May of 2024 and then Miller Pointe in Mandan in December of that same year. Among all the changes and moves, Barb never complained about her diagnosis and showed remarkable courage and endurance. She passed peacefully, finally free from pain, on Thursday, May 15, 2025, surrounded by all her siblings; her mom and dad each holding one of her hands

Barb is survived by her son William Bianco III, Bismarck, ND, and daughter Elizabeth Bianco, Fargo, ND; grandsons, Ryan, James, Joseph, and Leo Bianco, Bismarck, ND; parents, Shirley Fetch, Bismarck, ND; Vernon (Margaret) Fetch, Mandan, ND; sisters Cassandra (Scott) Schmidt, Diane Lind, Jennifer (Vance) Johnson-Stemen, and Coreen (Derrick) Rittenbach all of Bismarck, ND; brothers Michael (Janette) Fetch, Bismarck, ND; and Joseph (Rhonda) Fetch, Rapid City, SD. She also leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her grandparents, William and Helen Schwandt, Frank and Freda Fetch, numerous aunts and uncles, and a special brother-in-law, Lanny Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, Barb preferred that memorials be made in her name to God’s Child, Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue, or the Parkinson’s Association.

The family would like to thank the staff at Edgewood Vista in Bismarck and Miller Pointe in Mandan for their ongoing care. We are grateful for their gentle hands and hearts as they saw to Barb's care and comfort. A special thank you to the hospice team, especially Tracey and Jessica. We truly appreciate you.