Helen (Bittner) Schottenbauer

Helen Schottenbauer, 88 of Devils Lake formerly of Munich, ND passed away on Monday afternoon, October 9, 2017 at Eventide Heartland Care Center, Devils Lake, ND in the loving care of family.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 13, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm celebrating the Mass. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, rural Munich at a later date. Gathering of family and friends will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday, October 12th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation on Friday will be at the church one hour prior to the Mass. Helen Mary was born in Langdon, North Dakota to John and Mary (Gartner) Bittner on October 28, 1928. Helen was raised in the Clyde-Calvin area until her last year of school and then went to St. Alphonse in Langdon to finish her senior year of high school.  From there Helen went to Minneapolis to Flight Attendant School.  There she met her husband of 51 years, Nicholas Schottenbauer.  Helen and Nicholas were married in October of 1948 and lived in southern Minnesota where they farmed Nick’s mother’s land until 1960 when they moved to Clyde, North Dakota. Helen and Nick bought the Clyde Bar in 1961 and ran it until it closed in 1999. Helen drove school bus for the Munich School District for over 30 years.  She also worked for Soil Conservation, planting trees in the summers. She enjoyed her weekends at the lake, playing cards and feeding everyone. She was happiest when she was feeding a crowd of people and listening to everyone’s problems.  Helen belonged to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Munich, St. Alphonse of Langdon and later St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Devils Lake when she moved to Skyview apartment and later to Odd Fellows Basic Care Unit. She spent her remaining years at Heartland Care Center. Helen and Nick had four children, John Schottenbauer, Clyde, ND; Steve Schottenbauer (deceased 2002); Linda (Doug) Ritter, Apache Junction, AZ; and Mary (David) Eversvik, Warwick, ND. She had eleven grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. Survivors also include brothers Leo (Lillian) Bittner, Devils Lake, Kenneth (Josephine) Bittner, Minot, ND and Elmer (Delores) Bittner, Phoenix, AZ and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Nick; son Steve and brother Alvin.