| Sources |
- [S927] Obituary.
Cletus J. Schmidt, 85, Bismarck, died June 14, 2009, in a Bismarck hospital, surrounded by his loving family. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 18, at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Bismarck, with the Rev. John Guthrie officiating. Burial will be in the veterans section of Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Bismarck Funeral Home, where a rosary and prayer service will be held beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Cletus was born to Jacob N. and Eva L. Schmidt on March 21, 1924, in Mandan. He attended St. Joseph's Grade School and was active as an altar boy and was a member of the Columbian Squires. While attending Mandan High School, he participated in many activities, including band, glee club, Latin club and playmakers. In 1941, he was elected cheerleader along with three other male students. Before and after school hours, he worked for Purity Dairy Company in Mandan. He graduated from Mandan High School in 1942 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy Seabees, serving with the 90th C.B. Battalion in the South Pacific, including nine months on the island of Iwo Jima during WWII. He was honorably discharged from the service in April 1946.
Upon his discharge from the military, Cletus ran for the elective office of Clerk of Court for Morton County. He was elected and assumed office in January 1947. He served in that capacity until January 1962, at which time he accepted the appointment as deputy clerk in charge of the Divisional Office of the U.S. District Court in Bismarck. In 1969, he was appointed by Federal Judges George S. Register and Ronald N. Davies to assume the office of Clerk of the U.S. District Court for the entire district of North Dakota. In addition to his duties as Clerk of the Federal Court, he also served as U.S. Magistrate from 1964 to 1970. He retired from the Federal Court on March 31, 1984.
Cletus married Gertrude Leingang on June 11, 1947. They lived in Mandan until moving to Bismarck in May 1966. They enjoyed bowling, playing bridge and pinochle, and dancing on weekends with many friends. Cletus also enjoyed playing trombone in the Mandan and Bismarck Elks Bands for over 40 years as well as singing bass in the Bismarck-Mandan Elks Chorus for over 40 years. Cletus also sang in church choirs for over 50 years. Another highlight of his life was owning a cottage on Lake Tschida, where he and Gert enjoyed pontooning, fishing, and playing cards with their family and many friends.
Since the WWII years interrupted Cletus' plans for further education, he enrolled at Bismarck Junior College and received an associate of arts degree in 1967, and at Minot State College, where he was awarded a bachelor of science degree in 1977. Taking advantage of the North Dakota law at the time and his experience in the courts, Cletus studied law under the tutorship of attorneys Bob Vogel, Bruce Bair, and Judge W. J. Austin. He took the North Dakota Bar Examination and was admitted to practice law by the Bar Association of North Dakota.
Cletus was active in the community of Mandan in various fundraising drives, and in 1955 was named Mandan's Jaycee Outstanding Young Man of the Year. His memberships included president of the Federal Court Clerks Association, president of the Burleigh County Bar Association in 1975, the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and commander of Post 1326 Veterans of Foreign Wars of Bismarck in 1999 to 2000. Cletus was a 61-year member of the Bismarck-Mandan Elks Lodge No. 1199.
Cletus is survived by his children, Jerry and his wife, Cindy (Wessel) Schmidt, Battle Creek, Mich., Bill and his wife, Linda (Eckroth) Schmidt, Mandan, Dona Bentz and her special friend, Philip Elker, Mandan, Patty and her husband, Terry Leier, Marion, Iowa, and Carol and her husband, Duane Kurtz, Bismarck; 13 grandchildren include, Andy Schmidt, Rebecca Hames, Katie Wilder, and Jeron Schmidt, Zachary Schmidt, Mikel Knudson and Mark Knudson, Rebecca Long, Elizabeth Leier, Thomas Leier, Monica Leier, Tyler Kurtz and Matthew Kurtz; four great-grandchildren are Joseph Knudson, James Knudson, Jacob Schmidt and Amelia Knudson. He is also survived by two sisters, Delores (Tom) Maestas, Reno, Nev., and Patricia Brown, Mesa, Ariz.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Gert; two brothers, Jim and Don; and one sister, Cecilia Green.
Memorials may be directed to The Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota or the Bismarck-Mandan Elks Chorus.
Visit the guest book at bismarcktribune.com
Anonymous. Bismarck Tribune. Bismarck, ND: Jun 17, 2009. pg. A.9
|
1924 - 2009 (85 years)