Carolyn Judge

Carolyn Marie Knudsen Judge Carolyn Marie Knudsen Judge passed away in her sleep surrounded by family on November 11, 2015 at Barrett Hospital and Healthcare in Dillon, MT. Carolyn was born May 29, 1932 on the family homestead located about halfway between Malta and the Missouri River Breaks. She was the third of George Victor Knudsen and Mary Margaret Bibeau’s ten children. Carrie attended one-room schoolhouses (Ester Lake and Phillips) through the eighth grade and graduated from Malta High School. Carolyn soon met the man of her dreams, Francis James “Franny” Judge, and they were married on the sixth anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1950 in Saco, MT. This union lasted 45 years and produced six children: Mike, Dick, Cathi, Boomer, Kenny, and Patti (a handful plus one). Mom and Dad began their lives together in Malta, moved to Lewistown in 1958 and to Bozeman in 1973. By 2006, Bozeman had become too busy for Mom’s liking so she moved to Dillon where she could keep an eye on half of her children and several grandchildren. While in Bozeman, Carolyn worked numerous jobs including Life of Montana, Darigold, and Gallatin County Treasurer’s Office where she eventually retired. After Dad’s passing, Mom spent the better part of two years crocheting afghans (there are at least 1 for every child, grandchild, and great grandchild) before getting bored to the point she walked down to the Bozeman Senior Center and signed up as a volunteer. The volunteer position soon became full-time and she spent the next 9 years working there. This afforded her the opportunity to make many friends and travel quite extensively as either a participant or tour guide/chaperone. She made numerous trips to Jackpot, NV, Philipsburg Fiddle Festival, Coeur D’Alene, Nashville, Mississippi River Boat Cruise, and the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas to name a few. She also developed the “cruise bug” and was able to take one with Franny, and numerous others including through the Panama Canal. Family was the thing that Carolyn treasured the most. She had two main highlights every year, the annual Knudsen-Bibeau reunion in July at Camp Maiden in the Judith Mountains north of Lewistown and the gathering of nearly all the children and grandchildren at Grampa and Gramma’s over the Thanksgiving holiday. Franny loved the game of baseball at all levels and passed his ardor for it along to Carolyn. The Saint Louis Cardinals were their team and as a result of many years of zealous gift giving, her home evolved into a huge collection of Cardinals in every shape and size. Mom and Dad will be remembered every time we see a cardinal or hear “their song” – The Tennessee Waltz. Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, brothers George E. “Spike” (Ann), Donald L. “Ike” (Mary Ann), and sister Doris [Royal] Paus. She is survived by brothers: Lloyd (Earline) of Malta; Lee Ray (Shirley) of Malta; Clyde [Anna Jane] of Billings; and Carl (Pat) of Seeley Lake/Mesa, AZ; sisters: Donna (Gary) Young, and Mary Lou (Bob) Young, both of Malta. She is also survived by her children: Michael James (fiancé Elvie White) of Mesa, AZ; Richard Lloyd “Dick” (Barby) of Dillon; Cathi Jane (Gary) Love of Dillon; Robert Edward “Boomer” (Bonnie) of Colstrip; Kenneth Francis (Signe) of Fernley, NV; and Patricia Marie (Harv) Lake of Dillon; grandchildren: Daniel and Rita; Brian, Shannon and Taryn; Shonda, Kayla and Shann; Connie, Madison, Stacy, and Michael; Chad, Stephanie, Erica, Krista, and Haley; and Jason, James, and Alexander; and 16 great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank Drs. Judy Wilson (nurse Theresa) and Anna Loge, and the Barrett Hospice nurses Marie, Nancy, Tammy, Gina, and Julie for the care and compassion they showed for Carolyn. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in her name to the Bozeman Senior Center, Southern Montana Shrine Club Hospital Transportation Fund, or Barrett Hospital Hospice. Carolyn wishes were to be cremated and her ashes interred next to those of her beloved Franny in Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon. She also requested to have a funeral mass which will be held at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Dillon at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, November 27, 2015 since almost all of the family were planning on spending Thanksgiving at Gram’s. Brundage Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements and additional information is available at their website brundagefuneralhome.com.