Laura Funke

Minot

Laura Pearl Funke, 92, Minot, formerly of Greene, died Thursday, July 4, 2024, at a Minot hospital.

She was born Oct. 18, 1931, in Kenmare, to Henry and Vesta (Ladd) Carstens. She was raised on a farm east of Kenmare and moved into Tolley after the death of her mother. She graduated from Tolley High School.

Laura married Donovan Funke on Nov. 10, 1949. She spent most of her married life in Greene. She worked as a CNA at the Good Samaritan Center in Mohall, retiring in 2002. Laura and Donovan moved to assisted living in Minot in January of 2016.

Laura was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church, Greene, until its closing. She taught Sunday school and was a member of the LCW group. She later joined Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tolley and was president of the LCW for many years. She was a member of the Tolley Senior Citizens, enjoyed making quilts for family and Lutheran World Relief. She started a family round-robin letter over 50 years ago and it’s still going around in the mail.

Family: children, Sally (David) Foelschow, St. Charles, Ill., Janie (Kent) Gunderson, East Grand Forks, Minn., Danny (Landi) Funke, Minot, and Kimberly Gilseth, Ocala, Fla.; eight grandchildren, two step grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren; sisters, Betty Wolfe, Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Ann Fitch, Owatonna, Minn.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Laura was preceded in death by: her parents, Henry and Vesta Carstens; sister, Linda Simkins; brother, Garvin Carstens; brothers-in-law, John Wolfe, Donald Fitch and Stan Simkins; and sister-in-law, Pat Carstens.

Funeral: 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 13, 2024, at Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tolley.

Burial: Grano Cemetery, Grano.

Visitation: One hour, prior to the service, at the church. Friends may also sign the online guestbook at brosefuneralhome.com.

Published by The Minot Daily News July 8, 2024.