Kaye Louise Schoeder passed away on March 22, 2019, in Wheat Ridge, Colorado at the age of 86. A memorial service will be held in July in Hettinger, North Dakota, with the date to be announced.

Kaye was born during a blizzard, on January 6, 1932, in Arnegard, North Dakota to Claire Maddock Shults and Donald B. Shults. Her father was a railroad depot agent, who worked in various location in Montana and North Dakota for the Great Northern Railroad. 

Kaye spent her early years living in various locations across northern Montana; and attended High School in Sunburst, in the Sweetgrass Hills of northern Montana, where she lived with her beloved Grandma Lotta.  She earned a reputation as a model student in school,  and went on to study journalism at the University of Montana in Missoula.

While in college, Kaye spent two summers working at the Adams County Record and Mott Pioneer Press newspapers for her uncles, D.J. Shults of Hettinger; and Ralph Shults and Hugh Shults of Mott. Despite her ambitions in journalism, Kaye wanted to marry a farmer above all else, according to her brother Don Shults. When Kaye announced her plans to marry Dale Schoeder, Don sent her satin fabric which she sewed into an uncommonly elegant wedding dress. Kaye was married on September 6, 1952 in Sunburst, Montana.

Kaye moved to the Schoeder family farm on the Cedar Creek north of Reeder, in the Darlings Springs Township. She enjoyed participating in Darling Springs Homemakers Club and Darling Springs Farmers Union.  The older children attended the Darling Springs Township Grade School.  The family attended Kennedy Church, St. Mary’s in New England, Holy Trinity in Hettinger and Sacred Heart in Reeder.

While raising seven children, Kaye and Dale took over Henry and Evelyn Schoeder’s farm and grew the family farm operation to 3,500 acres. They had over 125 head of Simmental cattle and were  pioneers in no-till farming.  During those years the household was full of kids and hired men, and an occasional cold calf.  Saturday afternoons and evenings were often spent shopping in Hettinger, with their 1950 Buick and a car load of kids.  Sunday afternoons in the late summer were often spent on pleasant drives out to see the wheat fields. 

Kaye was always interested in politics and civic affairs, following the footsteps of various family members, including her great uncle, Walter Maddock, a Nonpartisan League founder and North Dakota Governor.  She was active in the Adams County Democratic-NPL and ran for State Representative; and attended many Democratic, Farmers Union and GTA conventions.  She and her husband Dale were influential in getting Federal funds for construction of the Hettinger Hospital.  She served on the Board of Directors of the Hettinger Hospital.

Kaye is survived by her husband, Dale Schoeder, Hettinger, ND; sons - Francis (Bonnie Brueni) Schoeder (Chicago, IL), David (Nanette) Schoeder (Alexandria, VA), Thomas Schoeder (Reeder, ND), daughters - Rosamary Schoeder (Hettinger, ND), Sarah (Rocky) Schoeder-Olheiser (Arvada, CO), and Lisa Bonomo (Colorado Springs, CO);  her brother, Bill (Martha) Hetrick (Tampa, FL); sister Janice Morrison (Polsom, MT); eleven grandchildren - Charles Schoeder, Nicole Schoeder, Catherine Leopando, Austin Schoeder, Abigail Schoeder, Taylor Schoeder, Mitchell Sheaffer, Parker Sheaffer, Lewis Sheaffer, Grayson Cameron, Jaiden Chalmers; and 3 great-grandchildren.

Kaye is preceded in death by her parents, daughter Teresa (Craig) Sheaffer (St. Paul MN), granddaughter Quinn Cameron, brothers Donald Shults and Dennis Hetrick, and sisters Donna Walker, Mary Fretheim, Marlys Shults, and infant sister Virginia Shults.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to:

West River Health Services Foundation
In Memory of Kaye Schoeder
1000 Highway 12
Hettinger, ND 58639-7530