Funeral services for Carol M. Merwin, 86, of Hettinger, ND will be Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hettinger National Guard Armory in Hettinger. Aaron Langston will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5, at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the service at the Armory on Saturday afternoon.

Carol M. Kroft was born to Herman and Ethel (Henley) Kroft on May 5, 1920 in Perkins County South Dakota. She passed from this life at the home of her daughter Carol Fae in Rapid City SD on Friday afternoon December 29, 2006.

She grew up on the family farm developing a great love for nature, laughing, dancing and music. She had a brother Royal and three sisters Lola Glass, Marge Wilson and La Dona Ferance

The "Kroft" siblings grew up fun loving and laughing a lot. From early child hood they started giggling at the dinning table over any little thing. Later their family get-togethers involved a lot of fun loving and laughing.

Carol started learning to dance at the age of three by standing on her dad's toes as he danced, while her mom played the piano for them. She grew up dancing at the Lodge Pole Hall and Hettinger School dances. At one dance "Pappy Stokes" was playing a polka and Carol was twirled around so hard she kicked the piano bench right out from under "Pappy". He did not even interrupt the music, while he reached back and quickly brought the bench back under him.

Carol inherited her green thumb from her father. She planted with enthusiasm a huge garden every year and canned much of it for the winter. She loved to decorate her home including flowering and green plants. She took special pride in her African Violets.

She was an outstanding cook and loved to entertain family and friends in her home or back yard.

For many years Carol belonged to a group of women who taught interdenominational Sunday School in the small community of Haynes.

She graduated from Hettinger High School in 1939. A year later she was swept-off her feet by Morris (Buster) Merwin and they married in Jordan Montana. They lived in Michigan and California before settling down on Buster's family farm near Haynes ND. They had four children.

Carol is remembered by her family as a very loving mom with out ever saying an unkind word about anyone or anything.

She was preceded in death by Parents; husband Buster in 1983; a brother, Royal and a sister, La Donna. She is survived by all her children; David (Peg) Merwin Hettinger ND; Carol Fae Rapid City SD; Kae Lyn (Roger) Wilson Hettinger ND; Miles (June) Merwin Aliso Viejo CA, 11 grand children, 12 Great Grand Children and 2 Great-Great Grand Children.