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Gillian Kochel, age 50, of Mott, ND, and Lemmon, SD, passed away at her home near Mott, ND, on Monday, April 28, 2025.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon, SD.  Charlotte Kvale will officiate with burial in the Spring Butte Union Cemetery north of Lemmon.

Gillian Lucy Kochel was born on August 1, 1974, in Hettinger, North Dakota, to parents Patsy Arlene (Heier) Kochel and Timothy Frank Kochel. She attended grade school at Lemmon Elementary in Lemmon, SD, until she and her family moved to their farm south of Mott, North Dakota, when she was in the fifth grade. She attended school in Mott until she graduated high school in 1993. She was a bright and precocious child with an extensive vocabulary, which she had developed from a very young age. While in school, she lived on the Kochel family farm, which was a part of her life where she held the fondest memories. She had a horse named Sam whom she loved very much. She also enjoyed spending time with her family's dairy goats. Throughout school, she was active in many clubs and organizations. Some she enjoyed the most were FFA (Future Farmers of America), Jazz Band, Choir, and Girl Scouts (which she was quite active in when she was younger). She excelled academically and graduated with high honors in her class.

After high school, she attended school for one year at Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD, where she studied history and music. She transferred to Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, where in addition to history and music, she gained a special interest in geology, which was a favorite course of hers. While in college, she continued to play music, which she enjoyed very much. Singing was one of her many musically oriented talents. While participating in a singing contest, she met Bart Damjanovich, who was one of the judges of the contest. She married Bart Louis Damjanovich in October of 1997. They welcomed their first child, Colton Isaac Damjanovich in April of 1998. The young family moved back to Gillian's hometown of Lemmon in the fall of 1998. While raising a young Colton, she went back to college at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, ND, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2001 with a teaching degree. Gillian worked as a schoolteacher after graduation. She gained a special interest in medicine, particularly Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where she took courses and became certified. She volunteered with the Lemmon Ambulance for many years. In October of 2005, Bart and Gillian welcomed their second child, Kestrel Arlee Damjanovich.

In May of 2013, they welcomed their third child, Seeger Michael Damjanovich. Their family was finally complete. She raised three intelligent, conscientious, competent, kind, and respectful children. Instilling in them all the skills and versatility they would need to survive in life. Of all her accomplishments, her three children were what she was most proud of. She began teaching K-12 music at the Mott-Regent Public School in the Fall of 2019 and moved back to Mott, ND in the Fall of 2020. She then took the same teaching position at the Elgin-New Leipzig Public School in 2023, in addition to leading the school's speech and drama programs. She loved all her students and thoroughly enjoyed working with them each day.

Gillian was preceded in death by her father, Timothy F. Kochel, her brother Michael Frank Kochel, her grandparents Louise Pauline Seidel Kochel Jess, Arlie Andrew Berger Heier Sr, and Gladys Corolla Knutson Heier, and Uncle Arlie Heier Jr, and best friend Brenda Malard (Owen).

She is survived by three children, Colton Isaac and Karagan (Friedt) Damjanovich, Kestrel Arlee Damjanovich, and Seeger Michael Damjanovich, her mother Patsy A. Kochel and step-dad Robert (Bob) Frerking, sister Dawn Marie Kochel Benson (Bill), Uncle James Bennett and Aunt Theresa Anne Heier, Aunt Carol Jean Larson Heier Felton (Ray), Cousins Troy Allen Heier (Nicole), Benton James Heier (Leslie), James David Heier (Elaine), and Clayton Tyrell Heier (Holly), and her dearest friends JeriLynn and DeJon Bakken.

She will be inurned with her brother, Michael, following the service.