Ellen A. Patzman

 After 100 years and 15 days Ellen Schulz Patzman decided it was time to meet her Maker and find Dick, her beloved husband of 63 years. Ellen died on Sunday, November 17, 2024 surrounded by many of the people she loved.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, Nov. 29, at Corpus Christi Church, 1919 N 2nd St, Bismarck. To view the service livestream, click this link Corpus Christi Church - Bismarck, ND

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service with a rosary beginning at 9:00 AM. 

Burial will be held at 9:00 AM, Monday, Dec. 2, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. 

Ellen was born November 2, 1924 to Daniel Emanuel Schulz and Frieda Bernice Schafer Schulz in Washburn, ND. She grew up there with her two brothers and a sister, graduating from Washburn High School in 1942.

Ellen was always a hard worker and her hands were never idle. Her first job was changing bedpans and cleaning rooms at the Washburn Motel. It’s kind of hard for us to imagine not having bathrooms at such a business! After graduating, Ellen moved to Bismarck where she started a side business mending nylon stockings—thus started her forever love of sewing. She was later employed by JC Penney’s mending stockings and selling fabric (surprise, surprise). Because she was so beautiful, she also was a model for the store.

While Ellen worked at Penney’s, she attended college at what is known today as Bismarck State College. She received an Associate Degree in Shorthand and Office Skills. She then went to work at United Accounts. Her employment started out as part-time, and then moved to full time, to bookkeeper, and finally office manager. For 35 years she loved her job and the people she worked for and with.

Dick and Ellen were paired up on a blind date. Dick didn’t have a car, so for their first date he had to walk all the way to 16th Street, from Mandan Street, to pick her up. He was nearly at her apartment when he realized he forgot her name, so he had to walk all the way back to the Covered Wagon Bar, located on 6th Street and Broadway, to ask the barmaid, “What is my date’s name?” He then walked all the way back…and now the rest is history. They were married June 2, 1946. They had 2 children, Debra and Rick, and lived at 1714 North Washington Street for 63 years. Today, Ellen has 5 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She enjoyed attending their many activities, which were many, well up into her upper nineties. 

Ellen loved to sew and crochet. Her busy hands were never idle—not even on short car rides, her trusty blue bag of toole was handy to crochet a scrubby. In her lifetime she made 100’s if not 1000’s of scrubbies to sell. Ellen was an excellent seamstress—we all took our mending, shortening, or lengthening to her. She even sewed three of her granddaughters’ Prom dresses, which they still cherish dearly today. After sewing for Deb and her granddaughters Ellen took up sewing baby blankets, infant car-seat covers, burp cloths and doggie blankets. She sold her goods at the Gateway Mall’s monthly Craft sale for many years, again well into her nineties.

Ellen was an avid volunteer. She spent many hours as a quilter at Corpus Christi Church, AARP and God’s Child Project doing mailings, and St. Alexius Hospital and Sanford Hospital Axillaries. We’re not so sure she enjoyed Sanford’s work so much as the free food she always came home with. She never let us look in the bag, but boy was it ever heavy! 

Ellen loved to travel both within the country and outside the USA borders. She had many interesting tales to share of her trips to Canada, China, Australia, and New Zealand.

Ellen and Dick loved spending time at Lake Sakakawea with family. Many event filled weekends were spent in the tent, camper, and later Rick and Barb’s cabin. The days were filled with water activities, then evenings a delicious grilled meal, hours and hours of cards and board games, and then the nightly camp fire with funny stories and s’mores, as we all watched the beautiful sunset.

Ellen is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Deb and Dave Bina, Crookston, MN; son and daughter-in-law, Rick and Barb Patzman, Bismarck; grandchildren, Taya and Tim Johnson, Kim and Josh Ressler, Christa and Dustin Brodina, Davy and Kathy Bina, and Jenny Bina; great-grandchildren, Beau, Parker, Tylie and Ben Brodina; Sidney and Connor Ressler; Lola and Brock Bina; and Jayce Bina. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Ellen is preceded in death by her husband Dick, 2009; parents, Dan and Frieda Schulz; two brothers, Owen and Arnold Schulz; and a sister, Elaine Grimm.

Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grandma, you will always be loved! May the sun always shine on your beautiful face—until we meet again.