Kimberly Welstad

Minot

Kimberly Welstad, 65, Minot, ND, formerly of Upham, passed away Friday, December 6, 2024 at home after a long journey with Huntington’s Disease.

Kim was born August 2, 1959, the daughter of Alvern and Linda (Knudsvig) Donnelly, in Minot. At the age of 10, her family moved to Florida. She traveled to North Dakota each summer to spend time on the family farm of her great uncle, Bruno Rosenau.

Kim married in 1980 and from that union she had four children, Tyler, Dustin, Trey, and Lindsey. After living in Illinois for eight years, the family moved to Bruno’s farm near Upham in 1991. Some of her favorite memories were living on the farm with her young children, whom she absolutely adored.

Kim had an impressive business career where she oversaw hundreds of employees and was integral in starting a number of businesses. You could always find her dressed in a fashionable business suit with heels. She worked full time, raised four kids, and did it all with a smile on her face.

She was always the life of the party. Being a social butterfly, she made friends wherever she went. She loved visiting her family in Florida each winter and spending time at the beach. Kim was always glowing, especially when she got to relax outside soaking up the sun. She always shared her favorites: Diet Coke, fries, chocolate licorice, and Junior Mints. She was extremely generous with whatever she had to offer.

In 2008, Kim was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. Throughout her graceful journey, she never let the disease define her. She handled it with class and dignity, pushing through to live longer than the longest estimate. While the disease is often associated with anger and depression, she was always happy, smiling, and saying “Love you!” She was fun, kind, and beautiful through the very end. She will be greatly missed.

She lived trying to build others up, even as she was breaking down. If you knew mom, you never forgot her.

Her loving family includes: children, Tyler (Kelani) Welstad, Upham; Dustin Welstad, Upham; Trey (Danielle) Welstad, Minot; Lindsey (Levi) Kraft, Minot;

grandchildren, Schale, Evilynn, and Rhett Welstad; Lillian, Viola Kimberly, and Heidi Welstad; Bruno, Leland, and Pierce Kraft; Camden and Taven Backman; fiancé Percy Schriock; sister, Kari (Tim) Baker; brother-in-law Mark Stafne; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Kristi Stafne; brother, Paul Donnelly; and nephew, Dayne Donnelly.

Funeral: Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church, Minot. Interment: Bloomfield Cemetery, Upham, ND. Visitation: Friday, December 13, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Prayer Service: Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Memorials: are preferred to The Huntington’s Disease Society of America or Trinity Foundation – Home Health & Hospice.

The service will be livestreamed for the public to view and can be accessed by going to the First Baptist Church website: www.fbcminot.org

Published by The Minot Daily News, December 11, 2024.