Some time ago my mom spoke to me about wanting to write her obituary. She felt it important, as I think people of a certain age really like to be able to tell their story. The following is what she started – but never finished. Carol was born in Minot, ND March 5, 1932, to Clara and Andrew Momerak. She graduated from Minot High School and attended the University of Minnesota but graduated from Minot State University earning a double major in business and elementary education. She continued her graduate studies at the University of Montana. Mom met our dad in college, and they married two weeks after graduation and were married for 62 years. They were both teachers and started their careers in Watford City, ND where mom taught elementary education. She taught in a variety of cities but spent most of her career in Brady MT where she taught for over 25 years. Mom's version ended there, so John and I will pick it up from here.

Carol was blessed with two terrific kids (if we do say so ourselves) John and Juli. Our dad (her sweet Wally), and my brother and I were the great loves of my mom's life. She was the epitome of a wife and mom, enveloping us with love. She made every holiday, birthday, and milestone so special that to this very day the traditions carry on with our own families. From her famous Norwegian rice soup (which John now makes better than anyone) to her ultra-thin sugar cookies (the secret of which I cannot share here…. but trust me, they are amazing) she absolutely relished celebrations.

Our mom was the most creative person we have ever known. She was ahead of her time, creating things that today would have easily been accomplished with computer programs, but she created everything herself. She had such vision from refinishing furniture, to creating unique dolls made from rummage sale clothing and pieces of clothing given to her. She ended up specializing in "Santa" dolls, and if you are lucky enough to have one, then you know how special they are. Halloween was epic for my mom. From her elaborate costumes to the fantastic way, she would transform her classroom into Halloween magic. We never bought costumes, rather my mom would make them – which at the time felt so cringe, but now of course we get it. Christmas was wonderful, and I remember the year our parents made my brother and I put on a little play before we could open presents. After some consultation, John and I landed on our version of Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus. I must say, we nailed it down to the costumes and all.

Sports were huge in our family, and mom relished in every aspect of high school basketball and football. As John's and my sports team would go onto the playoffs, our mom designed these very creative photos of the teams that would be published in the Independent Observer, the local Conrad, MT newspaper. I marvel at how amazing these team photos were since photoshop wasn't yet a thing, yet she captured images depicting the teams dressed in Tuxedos, and western scenes. There was just no end to how she made our lives special and full of joy.

Mom was an incredible "Nanna" or Grandma to our children. John has two boys, Jonathon, and Max, and I have 3 boys Fletcher, Buckley and Truman. John is married to Mary, and they have been married for 33 Years. I have been married for 29 years to my husband Geoff Coburn. After our dad passed Mom eventually had to leave our family home and move to an assisted living facility in Helena MT. John and Mary live in Helena and did everything to make my mom adjust to her new life. Mary decorated her door each season (it's the cool thing you do in old folk's homes) and they both visited her all the time reminding her how important she was to us. For my part I visited as often as I could and we would attempt phone calls, many foiled by technology and a ring tone that she could never quite hear, but we did our best. John, and I and Mary spent the last week of mom's life with her in the hospital. We were so very blessed to have a couple of days that she knew us and could communicate with us. She passed away on October 19th, 2024, peacefully and with the dignity and love that she so very deserved. Whether you knew her as Mom, as Carol, as Nanna, as Grandma, as Aunt, Cousin, or "Boomer" (origins still unknown) she was a legend and will truly be missed. As our mom passed, we can just picture her reuniting with our dad, her forever sweetheart and somehow all is right in the world.