Carole Mae Gates

Age - 81

Carole was a loving person who adored her husband, Will and shared a lot of love with her children, Linda, Robert and Thomas as well as grandchildren, Jarrett, Christopher, Trevor, Briley and Jordan. She always had a smile and chuckle right to her last breath. Carole loved to camp and she and Will wore out a tent, camping at State and National Parks. She picked wild rice from the Mississippi River before it became so commercialized and in one episode while canoeing the canoe tipped and Will stepped into knee deep water and Carole went in for a full dunking. Dogs have always been a part of her life and she was never without one in the house. Carole loved Shih Tzu’s and showed them in the greater Northwest. She had a box full of ribbons from the shows. She and Will built 3 homes from the ground up with sweat equity, the last one in Bozeman, Montana up against the Madison Mountains. Carole worked for Ma Bell and then Century Link for many years belonging to the Telephone Pioneers, Red Hat Society and was an avid square dancer for 60 years, all our married life. She belonged to the Wild Rose Ramblers Square Dance Club and were invited to dance at Jimmy Carters Inauguration representing the Minnesota delegation back in January, 1977. She loved quilting and reading, always with a book beside her. Carole belonged to St Luke’s Lutheran Church and the church was always a part of her life. She missed Palm Sunday this year because Jesus Christ called her home. With God’s help Carole and Will achieved their 60 year anniversary this past January 30th. Carole will be dearly missed.