Carol Amdahl

CAROL MAE AMDAHL was born on January 25, 1931 to Elmer and Alma (Steen) Erstad in Garretson, South Dakota. Her parents and brother Donald lived on a farm near Jasper, Minnesota. At the age of eight, her family was in a tragic automobile accident. Carol’s parents were critically injured. Her father passed away from his injuries three days later and her mother Alma was hospitalized in Sioux Falls for over a year. During that time, Carol lived with her father’s sister and brother-in-law, Mable and Bennie Hagen and went to country school nearby. Carol graduated from Jasper High School and attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls for two years. She was united in marriage to Roy Amdahl in Jasper on November 12, 1950. They had two children from this union, Robert Amdahl and Debra Brunken. Roy was in the service so they moved to Alabama while he was stationed at Fort Rucker. After Roy’s discharge from the Army, they made their home in Pipestone. Carol worked part-time at the Orpheum Theater for a short while and then was employed at the Farmer’s Coop Elevator. She worked at the elevator for a total of 51 years. During this time, she was the bookkeeper, head bookkeeper, assistant manager and even interim manager. She enjoyed working with the local farmers and considered many of them close friends. Even though she worked full-time, she still found time for volunteer work delivering “Meals on Wheels”. Carol and Roy became residents at Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone. Roy preceded her in death on August 9, 2011. On February 1, 2013, Carol died at the Good Samaritan Communities at the age of 82 years and seven days.

Carol and Roy were active members of First Lutheran Church in Pipestone. Carol had a knack of decorating and put her skill into action by decorating the tables at the church’s annual Christmas “Kaffi Ti” for many years. Besides working and raising a family, Carol found time for some hobbies. She liked to bowl, golf and paint, although her rheumatoid arthritis made it difficult to continue to do so. Carol and Roy also participated in Pipestone’s annual Christmas Light contest and won top honors several times using many of the decorations Carol made herself. Her mother Alma Erstad was very important to her and she would talk with or visit with her daily until she passed away in 2000. Most important to her were her husband and children.

Carol is survived by son, Robert (Becky) Amdahl of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and daughter, Debra (Terry) Brunken of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; two grandchildren, Michael Mandy (Eddie) Mata and Sammi Ann Amdahl of Albuquerque, New Mexico; five great-grandchildren, Abigayle, Thaddeus, Makayla, Mia and Jespah; her brother and sister-in-law, Don and Yvonne Erstad of Alexandria, Minnesota; her sister-in-law, Alice Amdahl of Pipestone, Minnesota; and numerous other cousins, nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by husband, Roy; her mother, Alma Erstad; her father, Elmer Erstad; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, C.J. and Christine Amdahl; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Merle Amdahl, Ray and Mary Amdahl, and Virgil and Blanche Amdahl.