CAROL V. BROTTEN

Carol V. Brotten, 86 of Devils Lake formerly of Warwick and McHenry ND passed away early Wednesday morning, November 16, 2011 at the Heartland Care Center, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Carol will be held at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Jeff Nicla will officiate and burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Saturday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Memorials may be directed to the Heartland Care Center Alzheimer's Unit. Serving as Casket Bearers for Carol will be Todd Kraft, John Alstad, Mike Steffan, Louis Kraft, and Joe Papachek Music will be provided by Lynne Webster, soloist and Lynda Pearson, organist Carol Virginia was born on December 14, 1924 at Missouri Valley, Iowa the daughter of Claude and Lora (Gunsalley) Mann. She grew up and was educated in Council Bluffs IA, graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School with the class of 1942. Carol moved to Layton UT and was employed in a communications manufacturing company during World War II as a part of the war effort. She also worked for a time in Denver CO. She moved back to Council Bluffs and met Hartley LaMonte Brotten while he was on leave from the United States Army. They were united in marriage on March 5, 1949 in Barnesville MN. After the children were born, Hartley and Carol moved to Warwick where they worked and raised their children. After settling in Warwick, Carol was very active in the community. She served on the Warwick Town Council, Election Board for many years and was a member of the Warwick Lutheran Church and Ladies Aide. Carol cooked at the Warwick Public School and also helped at Kaye’s Greenhouse. She later managed the Hallmark Store in Devils Lake. When Hartley retired from the railroad in 1971, they began farming at McHenry. They lived at McHenry from 1976 to 2002 then moved to Devils Lake. Hartley passed away on January 15, 2003. Carol continued to make Devils Lake her home until the time of her death. Carol was never idle and had many hobbies and pastimes including piano, jigsaw puzzles, avid reader, crocheting and macramé-really any popular craft project that came along, Carol was willing to give it a try. She loved flowers and plants and started her own seedlings for her flower and vegetable garden in her greenhouse. In later years, she used her artistic talents-creating many paintings which she shared with family and friends. Unfortunately as her eyesight failed she had to give up many of her hobbies. Carol will be greatly missed by her family. She is survived by her children Cheryl and her husband Mike Steffan of St. Michael ND, Claudia and her husband Louis Kraft also of St. Michael and Douglas Brotten and his wife Michelle of Brocket ND; grandchildren Michelle (John) Alstad, Beth Steffan; Todd (Tamy) Kraft; Nicole Sandford, Amanda Brotten, Amber Brotten and Hayley Brotten; great grandchildren Tracy and Mindy Kraft, Chloe and Brodie Sandford; great great grandson Hunter McKinney; brother Arliss Mann of Colorado; several nieces, nephews and their families. Carol was preceded in death by her parents; husband Hartley; granddaughter Crystal Brotten; brother Hale Mann and brother-in-law Rodney Brotten.