Ottilia “Paula” Schmidt

Ottilia “Paula” Schmidt, 78, of Bismarck passed away Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at Abbott NW Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary Catholic Church with Father Jared Johnson celebrating. Burial will take place in St. Mary’s Cemetery following the celebration. Visitation for Paula will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m on Tuesday, March 31 at Bismarck Funeral home with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m and vigil service to follow.

Paula Schmidt was born on November 28, 1947, in Dodge, North Dakota, the daughter of Paul and Ottilia (Herauf) Fleckenstein. She grew up on the family farm near Dodge. She attended elementary school in Dodge from first through fifth grade. She continued her education at St. Joseph’s School in Dickinson for grades six through eight. She later graduated as a member of the first graduating class of Trinity High School in 1965. Following her graduation, Paula became a certified nursing assistant and began her career at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she faithfully served until 1977.  On June 5, 1970, she was united in marriage to James Donald Schmidt at St. Joseph’s Church in Dickinson, North Dakota. Together, they built a loving family and were blessed with three children: Cary Jo, Bryan and Kimberly.

Paula was a devoted wife and embraced the noble calling of motherhood; she curated a beautiful family life while raising young children. Paula continued her dedication to caring for others by becoming a certified pharmacy technician in 1996. She worked at ND Pharmacy in Dickinson, beginning in 1989 and remained there until her retirement in 2016. In July 2019, she moved to Bismarck, North Dakota to be closer to family. 

A woman of deep faith, Paula was devoted to her church and actively participated in daily mass, weekly adoration, Christian Mothers, Cursillo, Fourth Day, and the Seven Sisters Apostolate. She was an avid reader with a special love for learning about her faith and the lives of the saints. Paula found great joy in life’s simple pleasures. Tending to her vegetable garden and nurturing beautiful flowers brought her immense happiness. Passionate about cooking, canning, baking, and sewing, she loved sharing these talents with those close to her.In recent years, she especially enjoyed spending time fishing at the lake, taking in the peaceful beauty of the outdoors.

Paula will be remembered for her strong faith, selflessness, her caring heart, and her unwavering love for her family and friends. To know her was to love her. 

Paula is survived by her children, Cary Jo (Gary) Huschka of Bismarck, Bryan (Dana) Schmidt of Lake Tapps, WA, and Kimberly (Aaron) Dougherty of Fargo; grandchildren, Alex Huschka, Rylee and Grayson Schmidt and Carter Dougherty; and many wonderful nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Ottilia Fleckenstein; her husband, Jim; all of her siblings; and an infant son.