Nick Schall

Nick Schall Jr., the son

of Nick W. and Elizabeth

(Kuntz) Schall was born

on October 13, 1924 at the

Good Samaritan Hospital

in Rugby, North Dakota.

His twin brother Peter

was born minutes before

Nick. He died at the age of

97 years on Sunday, Sep-

tember 11, 2022 at the

Haaland Estates in Rugby,

North Dakota with his

family by his side.

Nick was raised on his

parent’s family farm in

Jefferson Township, Pi-

erce County, 20 miles

southwest of Rugby. The

land was homesteaded in

1899, by his grandfather

Wendelin Schall, and at

the time of Nick’s birth, it

was owned and operated

by his father. He received

his education in Jefferson

Township, German

School District #6 school

#3 through the eighth

grade. In 1942, his mother

died from Leukemia at the

age of 37. Prior to her

death, Nick’s mother

taught him how to cook

and bake, so besides help-

ing with the farming, he

also took over those du-

ties. He met Anna Marie

Axtman at a wedding

dance and the two were

united in marriage on Oc-

tober 27, 1947 at Our

Lady of Mount Carmel

Catholic Church in Balta.

They made their home on

the Schall family farm

and were blessed to raise

their three children, Di-

ane, Duane and David.

Nick farmed alongside his

father until buying the

rest of the farm in 1962.

In 1978, he and Ann built

a new home in Rugby and

his son, Duane took over

the family farm.

In 1948, Nick decided it

was time to have access to

electricity in the rural

area, so he started writing

to Senator Bill Langer;

after many letters, they fi-

nally received electrical

access. A short time after

that, Langer was still in

the Senate and Nick had

another project, to get

mail delivered daily in-

stead of tri-weekly. It

wasn’t until 1958 that

they received daily mail,

but Nick followed that

project through until it

happened. In 1965, with

the help of Bruce Hagen,

ND Public Service Com-

missioner, Nick got the

Northwest Bell Telephone

Company to provide his

farm area with rural tele-

phone.

Nick was very active in

Jefferson Township. He

was the school clerk for

10 years in the same Ger-

man School District #6

that he attended and was

on the planning commit-

tee for reorganization to

join the Rugby School

District. He was a charter

school bus driver for 16

years; secretary and

treasurer for Fulda Cathol-

ic Church, a 4th Degree

Knights of Columbus,

North Dakota State

Trustee for 10 years for

the Catholic Order of

Foresters and was a Pierce

County gravel trucker for

12 years. Nick was a char-

ter member of the North

Dakota Historical Society

of the Germans from Rus-

sia Organization. He was a

member of the Harvey Ea-

gles Club and a charter

member of the Rugby Ea-

gles Club, being instru-

mental in getting the club

established, where he

held numerous positions

including President. In

2010, he and his twin

brother, Pete of Harvey

were both inducted into

the Eagles Dakotas State

Hall of Fame in Valley

City. Nick lived a full, ac-

tive life and will be

missed dearly by his fami-

ly, who has a lifetime of

stories to tell.

Nick is survived by his

children, Diane Dodd of

Rugby and David (Paula

Steiert) Schall of Mandan;

daughter-in-law, Carlotta

Schall of Rugby;

grandchildren, Becky

Heilman (Jamie Ferensic)

of San Diego, Cindy

(Craig) Williams of Grand

Forks, Dustin (Bobbi)

Schall of Minot, Travis

(Tara) Schall of Minot,

Mandy (Mike) McNeff of

Rugby and Beth (Phil)

Berg of Minot; great

grandchildren, Tyler and

Sophia Williams, Jayda

and Jerzie Schall, Carter,

Campbell and Cora

Schall, Mya, Eli, Ann and

Ben McNeff and Ila, Cole,

Willa and Sylvie Berg;

nieces, nephews; other re-

latives and friends. He

was preceded in death by

his wife, Ann (2012); son,

Duane (2018); great grand-

daughter Braelyn Schall;

brothers, Michael and

twin Peter and his

parents.

Visitation will be from

5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on

Thursday with rosary, vi-

gil prayer services and

sharing of memories be-

ginning at 7:00 p.m. at the

Anderson Funeral Home

in Rugby. Visitation will

continue on Friday from

9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the

funeral home with no re-

viewal at the church.

Mass of Christian burial

will be held at 11:00 a.m.

Friday, September 16 at

the Little Flower Catholic

Church in Rugby with

burial in the church

cemetery. Father Franklin

Miller, Celebrant. Lunch

and fellowship will follow

the burial at the Rugby

Eagle’s Club on Highway

2.

Arrangements with the

Anderson Funeral Home

of Rugby. Online registry:

funeralsbyanderson.com