At 89 wonderful years of age, on Saturday, May 7, 2022, James J. Schmidt of Bismarck formerly of Kintyre, ND, was taken into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior while surrounded by family at CHI St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck.  Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Linton, ND, with Grandson Father Aaron Becker Officiating. Burial will be in the St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery, Linton. Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 11, 2022 from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service being held at 7:00 p.m. at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. A livestream of James's funeral service will be available at www.dahlstromfuneralservice.com under his obituary.

James life started with a humble upbringing where he was brought into the world on February 8, 1933, in rural Emmons County Valentine and Clara (Hilzendeger) Schmidt.  He was raised to know and have a relationship with the Lord as he grew up attending church at St. Boniface in Logan County.  Years later he married the love of his life, Helen Wald.  They vowed to love one another for their remaining years on this earth in October of 1955 at St. Michael's Catholic Church.  This parish served as a church home for them and the place where they would attend with their children as they taught them how to love and serve the Lord.

Living a life of working hard and appreciating what gifts God gave to James was how he was raised and with that being his way of life, James and Helen set out to do just that.  For one year, they farmed north of Napoleon, and later moved and purchased the family farm south of Kintyre.  It was on this family dairy farm where James and Helen worked and raised their own family until they retired and moved to Hazelton in 1995.  Being the kind of man who loved to work with his hands and serve others, he took on a job with the city of Hazelton for 3 years cutting grass in the park and cemeteries, tearing down old buildings, building a 20-unit storage rental building, and serving on the city board.  This new venture in his life brought him much joy and that wonderful laugh and smile would often be seen on his face because of his ability to do the work God had set before him. Later in life James made the move to Bismarck in May of 2014 until his death.

James is survived by his three sons, Jerry Schmidt, Lincoln, Richard (Bernice) Schmidt,  Bismarck, James (Sandra Bogaczyk) Schmidt, Kintyre;  seven daughters, Dorene (Doug) Haugen,  Bismarck, Glenda (Glenn) Sayler, Kaukauna, WI, Cleo (Leonard) Weichel, Strasburg, Frances (Tim) LaCroix, Buffalo, MN, Bernice (Dan) Becker, Spencer, WI,  Lundina (Jason) Warne, Brookings, SD, Bobbi Jo (Alan) Brindle, Linton; 40 grandchildren; adopted grand-daughter Maria (Shea) Hagen; 59 great grandchildren, and family friend Dennis Zacher;  He is also survived by 3 sisters, Frances (Nick) Kelsch, Bismarck, Barbara Keyser, Geneva, WI, Delores (Silas) Lipp, Jamestown; sister-in-law Grace Schmidt, Fletcher, NC.

James was preceded in death by wife Helen; daughter Connie Schmidt; his parents; brothers Vincent and Tony; sisters Lorraine Werner, Regina Jane Schreiner, Eva Vella; one grandson Simon Becker; one granddaughter Greta Sayler; daughters-in-law Marcia Schmidt and Leicha Schmidt.