Carole Brunsvold

Our dear, sweet, gentle mother, grandmother and great grandmother Carole Jean Brunsvold passed peacefully into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the morning of January 5th, 2021.  She had been on in-home hospice with her son Bruce and his wife Jane in Holladay, and was in the care of CNS nursing services for about 3 months.
Many heartfelt thanks to nurses Susan and Leslie, CNA’s Sydney and Blanca and the entire CNS hospice team for their wonderfully tender care of mom up to her passing.
Carole was born in Finley, North Dakota to Otillius and Rena Engeness September 26, 1927.  She was the second of three daughters.  Her sisters were Kathy (deceased) and Luella. Her mother Rena died when mom was nine years old and her father was later married to Minnie Thumb.
She attended the Finley/Sharon public school in Finley and later graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in nursing and practiced until shortly after her marriage to Merton Brunsvold in May of 1951.  They lived in Fargo where Merton worked for Ford Motor Company.  They had their three children while living in Fargo and then were moved by Ford to Great Falls, Montana in 1967 and a year and a half later to Salt Lake City, Utah.  They enjoyed trips to Hawaii, Jamaica and Baja where they would stay with their daughter Brenda and her husband Don Beck.
Shortly after Mert passed in 2005, mom was finally able to visit her many relatives in Haarstad, Norway along with her daughter Barbara and husband Jim Nelson, her son Bruce and her daughter Brenda.  She often said it was the best vacation she’d ever had.
Carole enjoyed many service-oriented activities along with teaching Sunday school, attending Bible studies, singing in the choirs of Our Saviours Lutheran and Good Shepherd Lutheran churches as well as with the Sweet Adeline’s and playing the piano.  She enjoyed baking Norwegian delicacies, playing cards (still holds the ”3-13” record low score of -19), church lefsa suppers, her church family, getting together with family and friends anytime, snow and water skiing, swimming and sunning and watching her grandchildren compete in sports.  Her ultimate joys in life were visits from her 6 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren who loved their “ggma” and “nununana” so much!
Mom was a prayer warrior extraordinaire.  Her unwavering faith in Jesus along with her quick smile and welcoming presence made everyone she met instantly comfortable, which along with Mert’s humor kept the house busy with family, visitors and friends during holidays and weekends and really anytime.  Their door was always open and the coffee was always on.  Her favorite iconic phrases were, “Lord willing”, “Uffda” and “Yup!”  and her favorite song was also her dad’s favorite – “How Great Thou Art”.
Carole is survived by her daughter Brenda (Don Beck), son Bruce (Jane Markosian), daughter Barbara (Jim Nelson), grandchildren Andy Beck (Meg), Gretchen Beck, Duy Beck, Michael Brunsvold, Briana Brunsvold, Nick Brunsvold, Kate Godina (Ze’ev), and Madeliene Cook- Buchner (Tom).  Great grandchildren Sophia and Charlotte Beck, Yarrow Cook-Buchner, Clementine Godina, Lucas Godina and twins Phil and Page Buchner.
Mom was blessed to live a full and rewarding life, loved by all.  Well Done MOM!!