Barbara Schweitzer

Barbara “Barb” Jane Schweitzer died peacefully from complications of COVID-19 on Oct. 19, 2020, with her loving husband, Pat, by her side. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 and will be limited to close friends and family. A service livestream will be available on the funeral home’s website.

Family will greet visitors from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil service will begin at 7 p.m. The rosary/vigil will be limited to 50 guests.

Burial will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck.

Barb was born to Joe and Elizabeth (Wald) Braun on Dec. 29, 1947, at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck. Barb grew up in Napoleon and graduated from St. Francis Academy in Hankinson. After high school, she attended LPN training in Dickinson and moved to Bismarck to begin her nursing career on the medical/surgical unit at St. Alexius. Those colleagues were the best Barb could have asked for as she began her career! She continued working that unit for a number of years, including while she attended Mary College to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Wanting to expand her horizons, Barb went on to work at Bismarck-Burleigh Nursing but later returned to St. Alexius to lead the Home Care and Hospice program for many years. Her final career adventure was with the state health department where she was in charge of the Newborn Infant Screening Program. During her career, Barb was honored with the Higher Standard Award from St. Alexius, Community Nurse of the Year for North Dakota, and being elected president of the North Dakota Association of Home Care. She retired from nursing in 2012.

Barb had to retire because she had too many other things to do! She kept busy scrapbooking, keeping up with her granddaughters, going to coffee or lunch with friends, throwing parties, trying to find the “best” deals at garage sales and thrift stores and keeping track of her enormous Santa collection.

Barb is survived by the love of her life, Patrick; son, the Reverend Craig (Wendy) and Steve (Dana) Schweitzer; granddaughters, Ilia and Taegan Schweitzer and Tehya Schweitzer; brother, Tony (Barb) Braun; sisters, Alvina Glatt and Mary Ann (Gene) Tomt; sisters-in-law, Mary Schweitzer and Angie Braun; and many nieces and nephews that loved Auntie Barbara Jane.

She was preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter and our angel in heaven, Lakin Ann Schweitzer; brothers, Ron Braun, Mark Braun, and Leonard Braun; sister-in-law, Marion Braun; brother-in-law Jim Glatt; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be shared with the Bismarck Parkinson’s Support Group, PO Box 4174, Bismarck, ND 58502, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Camp of the Cross Ministries, or an organization of the donor’s choice.