Priscilla Marian Schmidt died on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at her residence surrounded by her family. She was 81 years old.

Priscilla lived a loving life. She was born on November 28, 1941 in Mitchell, South Dakota and resided in Salem until she was two years old.

The Schmidts moved to Huron in 1943, where Priscilla's father, Lowell, worked as an attorney for Standard Oil district office and served as mayor from 1965 to 1969. Priscilla graduated as valedictorian from Huron High School in 1959; then attended Saint Catherine's college in St. Paul, Minnesota for one year before transferring to The University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. While there, she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority, the Phi Beta Kappa academic order, and Angel Flight for the Air Force Cadet's Officers Club, as well as editor of the campus literary magazine Tyro. She was also named homecoming queen and dream girl of Kappa Sigma fraternity.  Priscilla was awarded the Arneberg scholarship for proficiency in the field of foreign language and graduated with a double major in art and French.

In 1963, Priscilla moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked as a lithographic artist at Hallmark corporate headquarters and modeled for company catalogs. While there, she reconnected with fellow University of North Dakota alum Ronald Schmidt, who was working at a law firm in Kansas City; they were wed in Huron, South Dakota, on February 8, 1964.

Ron, Priscilla and their infant son Ethan moved to Pierre, South Dakota in 1965, where Ron served as director of the Legislative Research Council. Their two daughters, Ingrid and Eva, were born in Pierre.

Gifted artistically, Priscilla was appointed by Governor Nils Boe as a charter member of the first South Dakota Arts Council in 1966. That year, she formed Pierre Fine Arts to further promote the arts in the community; a loan from the organization helped to found Pierre Players, the community theatre group. Priscilla was the recipient of several Arts Council grants. She co-created the Art Plus program to teach art in public grade school classrooms and served as director of the Up With Art project at St. Joseph's grade school. Additionally, she was a committee chair person and participating clay sculpture artist in Artrain, a traveling art gallery and studio.

Schmidt freelanced as an artist for the Bright Ideas advertising agency.  In 1983, she partnered with calligrapher Joyce Koth to create the greeting card company, Special Friends, which also created logos, invitations, business cards and stationery for local businesses. Priscilla hand-designed a Christmas card every year, often featuring her original artwork.

Priscilla served on the Rawlins Library Board and was a member and president of A.A.U.W. (American Association of University Women) through which she co-founded the A.A.U.W. preschool in Pierre. She volunteered for the U.S. Census, Meals on Wheels, and the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center. She co-founded a foreign film club and co-founded and participated in numerous book clubs. For over fifty years, Priscilla contributed as an active member and officer of the P.E.O. sisterhood, which provides educational opportunities for female students. She also worked on membership drives for the Pierre Concert Series.

A lifelong Catholic and Republican, Priscilla often volunteered to support these organizations that were close to her heart. She served as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia in 2000 and a delegate to the conventions in New York City in 2004 and St. Paul, Minnesota in 2008.

The Schmidts lived part-time in the Black Hills, west of Rapid City, before permanently relocating there in 2004.  They spent many sunny winters in Coronado and Palm Desert, California. Through the years, Priscilla and Ron enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S., into Canada and Mexico, and to far-flung destinations, such as Russia, France, Germany, Hungary, Austria, England, and Scandinavia, in celebration of Priscilla's Swedish heritage.

Priscilla was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Lowell and Mariana Schmidt, nephew Shane Schmidt, brother-in-law Richard Hames, and daughter-in-law Kim Schmidt.

Survivors include husband Ronald Schmidt of Rapid City, South Dakota; sister Ann Hames of Minneapolis, Minnesota; brother Mark (Carolyn) Schmidt of Sahuarita, Arizona; son Ethan Schmidt of Rapid City; daughter Ingrid Schmidt of Los Angeles, California; daughter Eva Schmidt Reed of Minneapolis, Minnesota;  grandsons Nick Schmidt and William and Charlie Reed; granddaughter Rebecca Schmidt; and nephew John (Amanda) Hames.

A Celebration of Life and Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Rapid City. Burial will take place at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Rapid City.

The family wishes to extend sincere gratitude to Monument Health Home+ Hospice for the wonderful care they provided. If desired, friends may make memorial contributions in Priscilla's name to the hospice of their choice. Condolences may be sent to the family at 11551 West Hwy 44; Rapid City, SD 57702.