William (Bill) A. Schott

William Adolph Schott of Bismarck entered into eternal rest on Saturday, December 30, in Mesa, Arizona. Services will be held at 11 am, CDT, Monday, January 7, at First Lutheran Church in Mandan, North Dakota with the Reverend Lee Herberg officiating. Interment will be held at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan, North Dakota, at 2 pm. Visitation will be from 4-7 pm Sunday, January 6, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, North Dakota, where a prayer service will begin at 6:00 pm.. William Adolph Schott was born on April 21, 1933 in Velva, North Dakota to Adolph and Martha (Krause) Schott. He grew up and attended rural school in Byersville Township, and graduated from Butte High School, Butte, North Dakota. After graduation, Bill helped his parents on the family farm until he enlisted into the United States Army in 1953 during the Korean War. Bill was proud to be a first-generation American-his father emigrated to the United States from Hoffnungstal, Bessarabia. Upon his return from Korea, he married Leah Anderson of Velva, North Dakota. They had four children and were married for 53 years. Together, they were blessed with 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren and a lifetime of precious memories. Leah passed away in March, 2008. Bill then was blessed to join his life with Alice Selby Coats of Mandan in October 2008. Together they enjoyed 10 years of marriage, traveling, and sharing many treasured experiences, including their vacation home in Mesa, Arizona. Bill graduated from Concordia Lutheran College in Moorhead, Minnesota with his degree in Social Work. This began a long career dedicated to the economic development of programs and infrastructure to help the people of his beloved state of North Dakota. Bill began his career as Director of Social Services for Foster and Eddy counties in North Dakota. In 1965, he moved his family to Mandan to serve as the founding Director of the Heartview Foundation, a private alcoholic rehabilitation hospital. In 1967, he became Field Director of Lutheran Social Services to help start up senior centers in the state. In two years, over 100 centers were started and most are still in operation today. Bill was instrumental in setting up housing authorities in the state and developing low-income housing in Mandan and Bismarck. Liberty Heights in Mandan was his demonstrative model and is still in operation today. Bill started the first Meals on Wheels program, senior bus service, and senior centers throughout the state. These senior services were funded through grants by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and were emulated throughout the region. In the early 1970s, Basin Electric Power Cooperative became interested in developing housing for rural communities impacted by the construction of their power plants. Bill was hired to implement and develop this program as Community Developer. Bill had oversight over the construction of over 5000 housing units in 8 constituent states. Bill wrote the first Rural Housing Development manual, which was published through HUD and the Library of Congress. During his time, Bill and his staff at Basin Electric wrote over $50 million in grants for housing under various HUD, FHA, and Farmer’s Home Administration programs. To meet the human needs of the communities being affected by development of critical energy infrastructure, Bill was a pioneer in developing impact mediation for the communities being affected-helping to preserve the rural way of life without cost to the people of the community. Bill’s model of community development has been emulated in many states. The National Rural Electric Administration nationally recognized the program, calling it “the people’s housing program.” Bill retired from Basin Electric in 1993, but his involvement in community development never ceased. He helped to start many organizations including the Abused Adult Resource Center, the Displaced Homemaker program, Marketplace, and the Energy Wheel- an energy conservation program, home-based manufacturing and small business start-ups. Over the years, Bill received many awards and honors and served on many Boards. Some of his most cherished were the Rural America Association, the National Rural Economic Developers Association, and received the Presidential Award for working with the elderly in housing and Title III programs. He also helped to develop industries such as fisheries to utilize warm water form power plants, solar and wind programs and the regional self-help housing program. In 2000, Bill began working with the North Dakota State Historical Society Foundation to spearhead the Heritage Center expansion project. He served as advisor, lobbyist, and coordinated the efforts of the Foundation’s Trustees. He was instrumental in raising the funds for the expansion of the North Dakota Heritage Center. A moving tribute to his highly successful efforts is posted on the NDSHS website and information kiosk. The Treehouse for Children, at the top of the Heritage Center, was funded with contributions by Bills brother-in-law, Hollis Nappen, and dedicated in memory of his sister-in-law, Theodora Anderson Nappen for the enjoyment of the children who visit. Bill was involved in many local community organizations including First Lutheran Church in Mandan, Bismarck-Mandan Elks Lodge #1199, The Elk’s Chorus, The Lincoln Corral of Westerners, Family Campers and RVers, The Germans form Russia Society, The Sons of Norway, the Mandan Historical Society, the Mandan Lions Club, and a board member of the Mandan Heritage Park. Most recently, Bill was appointed by Governor Burgum to the ND Committee On Aging. Along with a lifetime of service and dedication to community and state, Bill enjoyed woodworking, traveling, camping, visiting, and singing in the Elks Chorus. His most treasured legacy was his family. Bill is survived by his wife, Alice, daughter Kathy (Rick) Setterlund of Mandan, son David (Kristi) Schott of Midlothian, Texas, daughter Melanie (Richard) Willoughby of Bismarck, and daughter Nancy (Joe) Davis of Bismarck; 11 grandchildren Megan (Bryan) Thiel, Mandie (Kyle) Haman, Elizabeth (David) Koevoet, Brian (Kristi) Setterlund, Thomas (Heather) McGannon, Landon (Lindsay) Schott, Kevin Setterlund, Jennifer (Michael) Swenson, Skylar (Drew) Sinkey, Robert Davis and Steven Davis; and 16 great-grandchildren, his sister, Dolores (John) Haugen and brother Gary (Shelley) Schott, and many beloved nieces, nephews and family members. Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Leah, his parents, Adolph and Martha, his brother and sister-in-law, Hollis and Theodora Nappen and brother-in-law, Jim Selby. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the North Dakota Heritage Center.