Cindi (Tescher) Schmitz

Cindi Artus (Tescher) Schmitz, 60, Whitney, NE, passed away on March 15, 2018 at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, CO with her loving family by her side.  Services will be held at 10:00 AM CDT on Friday, March 23, 2018 at New Life Worship Center, Beulah with Pastor Ed Langeliers and Pastor Steve Mallery officiating. Burial will follow at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Beach, ND.

            Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM CDT on Thursday at Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah.

            Cindi was born to Jim and Loretta (Brown) Tescher on February 19, 1958. She attended several one room country schools for her first eight years. Logistics and transportation challenges were met in pioneering creative ways as she, at times, had to cross the Little Missouri River by cable car, walking, or riding horseback considerable distances.  Cindi began high school in Beach, ND in the fall of 1972.  During this time, due to extreme distances and poor roads, Cindi lived with her Aunt Rosie and Uncle Lloyd.  Cindi graduated from Beach High School in 1976. During her Dad's professional rodeo career, Cindi would travel with her parents to rodeos as the opportunities presented themselves. When logistics prevented these travels she frequently lived with George and Irene Wolf, who were fellow ranchers and friends of the Teschers. The Wolfs became second parents to her when Jim and Loretta were away at rodeos.

            Cindi was raised on her parents homestead 38 miles north of Medora.  She enjoyed all that came with ranching:  ranch animals, her dog, Bear, cats, brandings, and most anything that involved being outside. Cindi had an affection for horses, loved to ride, and would take delight to anyone's challenge to a horse race.   Avoiding inside chores, her Mom often said, “If you wanted to know where Cindi was, just look for Bear, her Border Collie.”  There were many summer nights Cindi slept on a blanket or in a sleeping bag on top of the hay bales in the barn, just to be close to her cats.

            Cindi married in 1976, that union blessed her with four wonderful children:  Chad, Chip, Chelsea, and Chase; and eventually with four grandchildren:  Tyler, Carter, Kyra, and Danica.

            There were many experiences and memories created through several moves in her life: Medora ND,  Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID, Beach, ND, Sentinel Butte ND, Plummer MN, Beulah ND, Piedmont, SD, and Whitney NE.

            The strong work ethic created from a hard ranching childhood served her well through all of her life.  In 1991, Cindi displayed tremendous courage, strength, personal confidence, drive for self-improvement, and a desire to provide a better life for herself and her four children when she enrolled in LPN school in Thief River Falls, MN. Graduating in 1993, Cindi found full time employment while raising a family of four children. While working Cindi returned to school, receiving her RN degree in 1995, and spent most of her professional career in long term care.

            In 2013, Cindi married the love of her life – Ron Schmitz.  Together, Ron and Cindi moved to the Black Hills in Piedmont, SD.  While living in the Black Hills, Ron and Cindi found and bought a ranch in Whitney Nebraska, thus completing her desire to return to her ranching roots.

            Cindi enjoyed:  gardening, baking, reading, music, flowers, horses, dogs, cats, fishing, annual brandings, playing cards, the annual softball game at the home ranch, the Minnesota Vikings and attending family children’s sporting events.  While Cindi loved these events, she most of all enjoyed and valued spending time with Ron, her children, grandchildren, and siblings.

            Cindi was recognized as a thoughtful, kind, smiling, caring, giving person; and known for her absolute love and unconditional forgiveness.

            Cindi’s final act of kindness was to give the gift of life through organ donation.  Within 24 hours of Cindi’s passing, doctors performed three successful transplants. These transplants gave three families a chance at a restored life.

            Cindi is survived by her loving husband, Ron; her children Chad (Cassie) Stockwell, Mandan, ND; Chelsea Stockwell, Beulah, ND; Chase Stockwell, Crescent City, CA; four grandchildren: Tyler, Carter, Kyra, Danica; four siblings, Gary (Ardis) Tescher of Sidney, MT, Barry (Rita) Tescher of Minot, ND, Troy (Joanne) Tescher of Beach, ND, and Bonnie (Shane) Farstveet of Kenmare, ND; the father of her children, Leonard Stockwell, Beach, ND; and numerous nieces and nephews.

            Cindi is preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Loretta Tescher, and her son, Chip Stockwell.

            In lieu of flowers and gifts, monetary donations may be made to the Cindi Schmitz Memorial Fund through Union State Bank, Beulah, ND (701-873-2221). There will be a living memorial created in honor of Cindi.  

            Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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