Margaret Paul

Margaret Paul, 86, Bismarck, died peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 6, at Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, 825 E Broadway Ave, Bismarck. The service will be live streamed on the funeral home website.

Visitation will be held 5-7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 5, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. A vigil/prayer service will begin at 7 p.m.

Interment will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. 

Margaret was born on Oct. 11, 1936, the daughter of John and Flora (Friedt) Eckroth. She grew up on a farm southwest of Mandan, and attended rural school, as well as a parochial school in St. Anthony through the eighth grade. She later obtained a General Education Diploma from Bismarck High School. 

Margaret moved to Mandan with her family in 1952. She worked for BuyRite grocery store in Bismarck, where she met a co-worker (Wilhard “Bill” Paul) who would become her future husband. Margaret and Bill were married at the Church of St. Mary in Bismarck on Oct. 29, 1956. They resided in Mandan for two years before moving to Bismarck in 1958, and they raised four children.

Margaret was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child began attending school, then she worked at various jobs before retiring in 1998. Upon her retirement, Margaret served as a volunteer for the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, and she also worked as a “foster grandparent” in the Bismarck Public School system for several years.

Grateful to have shared in her life are two sons and daughters-in-law, Brian and Catherine Paul, Iberia, Missouri, and Kevin and Lisa Paul, Clearwater, Minnesota; two daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Gene Larson, York, and Carolyn and Mark Weber, Linton; seven grandchildren, Crystal (Tim) Stautz, David Paul, Kristopher (Jessica) Larson, Courtney (Dan) Volochenko, Tanner Larson, and Ben and Nicholas Paul; nine great-grandchildren, Slayde, Cai and Jace Stautz; Sutton, Grayson, Lannyn and Whittyn Larson, and Braydon and Braxton Volochenko; brother, Gary (Ginny) Eckroth, Portland, Maine; sisters, Hilda Henry, McMinnville, Oregon, and Judy (Glenn) Thiel, Bismarck; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Eckroth, Hutchinson, Minnesota, Marilyn Thayer, Spokane, Washington, and Linda Paul, Bismarck; brothers-in-law, Mike Nagel and Vince Swenson; and special friend and dancing partner, Don Suhr, all of Bismarck. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilhard (May 27, 2011), parents; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bernhard and Gertrude Paul; brothers, Philip Eckroth, John Eckroth and Joseph Eckroth; sisters, Monica Paul, Katherine Shanks, Francis Paul, Eva Brady and Beatrice Charvat; brothers-in-law, Joe Paul, James Shanks, George Paul, Freeman Philips, Ed Charvat, Larry Henry, Lawrence (Larry) Paul and Victor Thayer; and sisters-in-law, Eva Eckroth, Loretta Eckroth, Maureen Eckroth, Ellen Nagel and Diane Swenson.