Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 272202
Title: Carolyn J. Smith
Date: 2/6/1935-5/27/2026
Inscription/Marks: 2/6/1935
Summary: Carolyn Joyce Koeser Smith, 91, of Williston, ND, passed away on May 27, 2026, at Bethel Home Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Williston. Her funeral service was held June 4, 2026, at the New Hope Church, in Williston. Carolyn was born on February 6, 1935, in Watford City, ND, to Edwin and Lillian (Veeder) Koeser. She graduated from Watford City High School in 1953 and went on to earn a teaching degree from Minot State Teachers College. Her first and last position was at Cherry School, in rural Watford City. After meeting Jim while traveling on the train, they married on June 1, 1955. Carolyn grew up on the farm and one of her most memorable stories was of when she was chased by a cow, fell down and the cow jumped over her. Jim and Carolyn lived in Tucson, AZ, while Jim completed his enlistment in the Air Force, later moving to Watford City, and Fargo before settling in Williston. She worked for five years for the ASC government department and Ag Stabilizer Center. During an oil boom in the 1970s, Carolyn started the Message Center, a telephone answering service which she ran for 30 years. Later, she and Jim, along with her brother Ward, founded Kotana Communications. Carolyn always said she didn’t have any hobbies, but all who knew her knew of her passion for rummage sales. Finding baby and children’s clothing, along with books were her main focus. She carried a list of the shoe and clothing sizes of family and friends in her purse. Often she bought items “just in case” she heard of someone needing them. Carolyn and Jim were charter members of the Wesleyan Church, now New Hope Church. They worked tirelessly to promote and increase their outreach and membership. She is survived by daughters, Candyce (L. Blaine) Miller of Crosby, ND, Chari (Jon) Schnaidt of Colorado Springs, CO; son, James of Williston, ND; grandchildren, Tara (Kurt) Wharton) Miller of Scottsdale, AZ, Jarret (Kelly Sheaffer) Miller of Conshohocken, PA, Christopher (Ceci) Schnaidt of Minot, ND; great-grandchildren, Lennan and Ellion Wharton of Scottsdale, AZ; sister, Ardyce Sickler of Bismarck, ND; brothers, Ward (Joetta) Koeser of Williston, ND, Mark (Janice) Koeser of Watford City, ND; numerous nieces and nephews. Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, James; parents, Edwin and Lillian Koeser; sisters and brothers-in-law, Janice (Dale) Harvey and Doreen (Steve) Hexom, Gary Sickler.
Red ID: FND_I_79694 Image ID: 577051 Image Notes: FND001 272202

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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