Funeral service for Mitch Schmidt, age 56 of Bottineau will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the St. Mark's Catholic Church in Bottineau.  Visitation will be Monday starting at 4:00 pm with a prayer service at 6:00 pm at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.

Mitch's life is a story of love. Love brought his parents, Melvin and Doris (Pederson) Schmidt together. They brought Mitch into the world with love on June 22, 1965. Mitch often spoke lovingly of growing up in Bottineau, ND with brothers Kenny, Dennis, and Kelly, who loved him back.

Despite being a rebel in high school, he was given a diploma in 1983, and worked at Korman's Concrete, Leon's Red Owl which later became Lloyd's Super Valu, and Nelson's Furniture store.

Mitch later worked at Lloyd's Super Valu as a meat cutter. This trade, and his love for the grocery business, served Mitch well for the rest of his life. He was known both for mentoring others and for his love for his customers, in St. Cloud for 21 years at Coborn's and then again in Bottineau at Jason's Super Foods. He was beloved by his staff because he treated them with respect and a kind heart. They all became one big family, who are mourning Mitch's passing. Tim Hagg, a friend and former co-worker, sent a message when Mitch became ill:

"Please tell Mitch I love him and he will always be a big brother to me. He is one of the most honest, self-sacrificing, dignified men I have met in my life. I will always cherish him! Please let him know that."

Love struck again when Mitch and Nicole met in 1988. This union was destined: years prior, Mitch saw Nicole at a dance and told his friend, "I have to meet her!" Later, Nicole spied on Mitch in the school library and told her friend that she was going to marry that man someday. Serendipity happened and they were united in marriage at St. Mark's Church of Bottineau on May 24th, 1991. Nicole was his biggest catch.

They started their marriage living in Minot, North Dakota, while Nicole finished her last year of college, then moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota, in August of 1992. Here his two biggest joys were born. Zach on May 16, 1995 and Lexi May 11, 1998. In 2013, after 21 years in St. Cloud, they decided to move back to Bottineau.

Part of his time after moving back to Bottineau, he worked for his sister-in-law, Susan Brandjord at Ellie Ann's Interior Designs, installing window coverings. Whenever we drove home from Fargo through the different towns, we joked that he had left his mark all over North Dakota: he had hung window coverings in each of those places.

Mitch had seven loves in his life: his wife, Nicole; children, Zach (26) and Lexi (23); his family; friends; Oreo cookie blizzards; and fishing. He created lifetime of warm memories involving all of these loves, the stories of which would lead to a world record of "fish stories" if they could all be told. One time Zach and Mitch went to an ice fishing tournament, and Zach caught a fish which would have been the prize fish. But the fish was so big they couldn't get it through the hole. All the other participating fisherman stopped what they were doing to try to help, and though they didn't win, they were "the news" of the tournament!

Next time you are at an ice cream shop, order an Oreo blizzard and think of Mitch.

In March 2021, Mitch snagged a different kind of fish: stomach cancer. He fought the line with everything he had to overcome this terrible disease. Once it moved to his bones, the pain was just too much. This amazing man who celebrated life and love will be missed in all our celebrations to come. We are comforted knowing he will be looking from above, watching the love we share and how he lives on in our hearts every day.

The morning he went into the hospital for surgery Mitch sat tugging at his chin, as he always did when deep in thought. He told Nicole and Lexi,

"I've been thinking about my life, lately, and this is what it comes down to: I was blessed to grow up in a loving home; I had brothers who always had my back; I got to marry the woman of my dreams; I have two beautiful children, a boy and girl, whom I love and am so proud of; and my last prayer has been answered, too. I always prayed that if something 'bad' was going to happen, that it would be me and not someone I love and care about. I am a lucky man!"

God landed His biggest catch on February 26, 2022. Mitch's parents, Doris and Melvin, welcomed him in their loving embrace.

Mitch's funeral will be lived streamed on Father Jared Kadlec's youtube page at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5oYpEe0Og-dGAHLFVAJkw