Carol C. Braniff (Billings)

Carol C. Braniff, 90 of Devils Lake formerly of Lakota ND passed away on Sunday, May 3, 2020 at the Eventide Devils Lake Care Center.

Carol Colleen Billings Braniff was born on December 19, 1929. On a cold winter’s night, Mamie and Richard Billings welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Carol Colleen Billings.  She was born with the help of a midwife in a farmhouse in Mapes, North Dakota.

She grew up on Lakota, North Dakota and attended Lakota High School. During her high school years she worked at the Lakota Theater.  She loved that job as she got to see all the new movies for free.  She graduated from high school and then ….

Carol met her future husband and love of her life, Dalton Braniff, at a dance. He swept her off her feet and they were united in marriage on January 31, 1948 at Lakota, North Dakota. They  lived in Lakota until April of 1949 when Dalton accepted a position with the Credit Bureau and they moved to Devils Lake. From that first time they met, Carol and Dalton graced the dance floors. Throughout their years together, they never missed a dance at the Elks, KC’s and Stump Lake. Anywhere there was a dance in the area, you would find them there.

She always had a gift of meeting and greeting new people. As a homemaker and with both the kids in school, there was something missing in her life.  It was then that she decided that Welcome Wagon would fuel that passion for meeting new people.  When her Welcome Wagon career took off, she was as happy as she could be.  She would come home and tell us all about the new people in town.  Definitely a career she was very proud of.

As the years went by, both of them developed a passion for antiques. So, in retirement they operated “Antiques on Wheels”, buying and selling antiques in the US and Canada. They were frequent auction sale attendees and got to know many other antique enthusiasts throughout the years.

Carol was a devoted, loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was an asset to the community.  She became an angel to many older ladies that didn’t have family around to help them.  She would take them shopping, or if they could not go, she would make sure she did the shopping for them.  She never stopped giving, providing and caring for her beloved family and dear friends. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Carol is survived by daughter Machille and her husband Larry Wilke, Bluffton, TX; son Brent Braniff, Minot, ND; grandson Jamie Kouba, Phoenix, AZ; great grandsons Colten and Conner Wilke; granddaughter, Cassie, her sister, Barbara Deal of Las Vegas, NV and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother George Billings, sisters Margaret Ralston and Millie Bach, and grandson, Dennis Wilke.

A graveside service will be held at a later date.