Carol Joyce Lindsay, 82

Carol Lindsay died unexpectedly but of natural causes on Nov. 19. She was surrounded by her loving family and cared for by the skilled and compassionate physicians and nurses of the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit at KRMC.

Carol was born in Crookston, Minnesota. on Oct. 8, 1933, to Agnes and Otto Sorvig —joining her siblings and lifelong friends David and Joanne. Carol’s mother Agnes contracted tuberculosis and died in a sanitarium two years later. Carol and Joanne were adopted by Henry and Olga Sorvig and grew up in Crookston against the backdrop of the Great Depression and World War Two.  As a young schoolgirl, Carol was said to have loved music and sang in the school choir and played the flute and piano as well. There were at the time no avenues to exploit her athletic gifts which were said to be considerable.  

After graduating from Crookston High, Carol attended Concordia College in Morehead, Minnesota, where she majored in history. It was during this time that she met and fell deeply in love with Glacier Park. During summer breaks she worked as a waitress at Lake McDonald Lodge and this exposure changed her forever. Upon graduating from Concordia, she took a job as a history teacher at Flathead High School in 1955 and revelled in the presence and beauty of Northwest Montana. She met her husband and father of her three children on a blind date soon thereafter and they wed in 1957. Richard and Carol welcomed and nurtured Diane in 1959, Bret in 1960 and Kurt in 1969. Carol retired from teaching to become an incredible full-time mother to her children.  She returned to Flathead High after her children were grown and taught for many years in the English department where she developed treasured and lasting friendships with other faculty.

Upon her retirement from teaching, it seemed her life became even busier and more fulfilling. She was a devoted grandmother to her beloved grandchildren Bryan, Lindsay, Noah, Skye, Keira, and Hanna. In addition, she had extraordinary friends with whom she shared AAUW (lunch bunch), PEO, and Glacier Symphony League. Her most treasured moments, however, were spent with dear friends hiking in the mountains of Glacier Park and Northwest Montana. She will be sorely missed but those who knew her will be indelibly touched and inspired.

She is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, Richard; son. Bret and Christine Lindsay and children Noah and Skye; son. Kurt and Justine Gavagan-Lindsay and children Keira and Hanna; grandchildren Bryan Sanders and Lindsay and Meko Kierfer and great-grandchildren Sasha, Zoey, and Arya.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Diane Lindsay.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers  please consider donations to the Glacier Conservency, CASA for Kids; and the FVCC Scholarship Fund.