Joseph S. Schaff

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Joseph (Joe) S. Schaff, 97, of Bismarck, formerly of St. Anthony, ND, passed away peacefully on August 5, 2025.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at the Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, with burial to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery after lunch. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, followed by the St. Anthony Verine leading the Rosary at 7. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church.

Joe was born on May 8, 1928, in St. Anthony, ND, to Paul and Magdalena (Wetsch) Schaff. He attended the local country school near the family farm. Joe often recalled doing farm work with horses and driving a header box by the age of seven.

On May 26, 1948, he married Catherine Leingang. Together, they had eight children before her passing on February 26, 1966. Her funeral was held on March 3rd during the Historic Blizzard of 1966. Joe later married Ruby Thorson on September 19, 1970, expanding his family with four stepchildren.

Joe was a lifelong farmer and rancher. After marrying Catherine, he continued to work on the family farm. In 1951, his father moved to Mandan and at that time Joe took over managing the farm. He later purchased the neighboring property, making numerous improvements over the years, including building a new home with Ruby in 1970. Joe and Ruby enjoyed socializing, dancing, and playing a competitive game of cards. Together, their efforts were honored in the February 2006 issue of National Farm and Country Living Magazine, which named the ranch the “Prettiest Place in the Country” also recognizing Schaff Angus Ranch. In March of 2006, they semi-retired and moved to Bismarck where, once again, they built a beautiful home surrounded by a picturesque yard.

Under Joe’s stewardship, the ranch developed Angus bloodlines that became well-known across the United States and abroad. He valued the opportunity to meet and work with cattlemen from around the world.

Joe had a deep love for animals and was instrumental in helping to establish the Valley City Winter Show. He also served as a 4-H leader. As a man of faith and community, Joe was a longtime member of the St. Anthony Catholic Church, the Church of Corpus Christi, the Knights of Columbus Council, the Bismarck Eagles, the Mandan Moose, and the St. Anthony Verein.

An Angus seedstock producer for over 60 years, Joe sold bulls and females in nearly every U.S. state and several countries worldwide. He was a member of multiple agricultural organizations, including the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, the North Dakota Angus Association, and the American Angus Association.

Joe received a number of honors for his achievements in livestock breeding and his dedication to agriculture that are too numerous to mention. Schaff Angus Ranch ranked first in the nation for the number of Pathfinder cows until the dispersal of his cowherd. Among his numerous accomplishments and honors are the Historic Angus Cowherd Award and the 1993 North Dakota Angus Man of the Year Award. He was inducted into the American Angus Heritage Foundation in 2008 at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky. In June 2016, Joe was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in Medora, ND for Modern Era Ranching.

In closing, if you ever had the chance to spend time at the home of Joe and Ruby, you probably noticed books and magazines all over. He was an avid reader, and many financial advisors, brokers, and attorneys have commented on the successes he achieved with only an 8th grade education.

Joe is survived by his children: daughter Kathryn (Dave) Albrecht, sons Joseph P. and William (Lenore), all of Mandan; Robert (Nadine) and Edward (Bonnie) of Bismarck; and Andrew of Johnson City, TN, and his stepchildren: Debra (Ronald) Haus of Granbury, TX; Steven (Roberta) Thorson of Arena, ND, Calvin (Dorothy) Thorson of Bismarck, 24 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, soon to be 30. He is also survived by his sister, Marianne Blasco of Bismarck; brothers Martin (Angie) of Mandan and Thomas (Lois) of Shakopee, MN; sisters-in-law Betty Berg, Ann Schwartz, Delores Wagner, and Annie Getz; brother-in-law Marlin “Nick” (Janelle) Leingang.

Joe was preceded in death by parents; his wives, Catherine and Ruby Schaff; infant sons, Johnny and Adam; step-son James “Jim” Hoppe; daughter-in-law Elizabeth “Betty” Schaff; grandsons Christopher Schaff and Scott Thorson; sisters Bertha (Paul) Heinrich, Barbara Saumell, Katherine (Robert) Taghon, and Leona Smith; brothers Anton (Barbara), Paul (Ann), and Adam Schaff; and in-laws Michael Blasco, Ron Schwartz, Albert Schwartz, Marcella (Rubin) Plienis, Ida Roebuck, Sharon Schwartz, Gladys Wahl, Harold Schwartz, Frank Leingang, Josephine (Robert) Muth, Clementine (Robert) Pivot, Lucielle (Ron) Burk, Lester (Cindy) Leingang, and Linda (Tom) Fry.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Church of Corpus Christi Foundation, 1919 N. 2nd St, Bismarck, ND 58501, or to a charity of your choice.

The family of Joseph Schaff sincerely thanks you for your presence, prayers, and kind expressions of sympathy.