On Sunday, March 26, 2023, Dolores Schoch, beautiful wife and mother of seven children passed away at the age of 87 at the CHI St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck. A Mass for Dolores will be held at 11 a.m. MT, Friday, March 31, 2023 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Dickinson with Fr. William Ruelle as celebrant. Inurnment will take place at the Regent Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CT at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck with a rosary at 3 p.m. CT. Visitation will continue on Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. MT at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson.
Dolores Schoch spent most of her childhood and adulthood in the Regent, New England, and Dickinson areas of southwestern North Dakota. From grade school through high school, she attended the private school of New England St. Mary’s. Following marriage to Ron Schoch in 1955, they had all of their own children also attend New England St. Mary’s. Throughout life, Dolores deeply immersed herself into faith, family, and plants. For the past 28 years, Dolores was impacted by Parkinson’s disease. At two different points, she was also treated for breast cancer. These personal health issues further emboldened Dolores’s own beautiful approach to life, which then became tremendously powerful and valuable for her own children and grandchildren that came to experience their very own health issues and life challenges. Dolores was incredibly confident and protective of her own children and grandchildren.
With an endearing sense of humor, a keen intelligence, a delightful heart and the creativity to beautify any space or celebration, Dolores elevated the people and activities surrounding her. She enjoyed playing games, including video games with her grandchildren, especially after learning the effectiveness of video games in improving gait and balance functions in the midst of Parkinson’s disease. Dolores loved telling life stories, nurturing and cultivating gardens, going to rummage and auction sales, and watching her favorite TV shows. In her final years, she appreciated having a doting husband, especially his delicious meals. Ron also had a deep gratitude for her, and said on the day of Dolores’s passing, “I could not have found a better woman.” And Dolores’s children say, “our mom’s kind and life-giving spirit will live on in every generation.”
Dolores was preceded in death by her own parents, Mary and Joseph Candrian. In addition, her own sister, Josephine, and brother, Donald. She’s also preceded by her very dear grandchildren Rachel and Kelly. She is survived by her own brothers, Bernard and Charles, and one sister, Eleanor. She is also survived by her husband, Ron, and their own seven children and families; Ronalda (Ken), Curly, Dave (Terrie), Greg (Linda), Yvette (Jamie), Lyle (Joy) and Lisa (Monte). In addition, she’s survived by 14 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren.
For memorial donations, please consider the Rachel Woell Inspiration Scholarship at https://www.totinograce.org/support-tg/make-a-gift.
