Carrol Ockwig

Carrol Manford Ockwig was born on December 14, 1922, in New London, MN the son of Sverre and Lorensa Ockwig. He was baptized in New London and confirmed in Christian faith at the Norwegian Lutheran Free Church in Sacred Heart. He lived with his family on a farm near Sacred Heart and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1941. Carrol served his country in the United States Army during WWII and was initially stationed in the Philippines. He was transferred to the Aberdeen Staging Grounds in New Jersey. He was honorably discharged from the Army in November 1946. Carrol was united in marriage on June 1, 1946 to Dorothy Adair Miller, a teacher he met in Sacred Heart. They made their home in Sacred Heart. On January 13, 1948, their first daughter Jane was born. They then moved to Montevideo where they were blessed with two more daughters- Sally in 1951 and Sonja in 1954. Carrol was trained as a meat cutter and spent 23 years managing the meat department at Johnnie's Super Fair in downtown Montevideo. After that, he became an independent businessman, owning an Ambassador Sausage distribution route. He also worked at the Hill Store in Montevideo. In 1984, after both he and Dottie had retired, they moved to Colorado Springs, to be closer to their daughter Jane and her family. While in Colorado, Carrol became an active member of the Sons of Norway. His Norwegian heritage was very much a part of him and he enjoyed the foods, traditions and the jokes he shared with fellow members. Carrol and Dottie spent 15 years in Colorado. During that time they took numerous trips into the local mountains, Alaska and New England. In 1999, they returned to Montevideo during which time Carrol enjoyed spending time with his two middle daughters, their families and his remaining siblings. Dottie was called from this life in 2004 after 58 years of loving marriage. When Carrol's health began failing, he moved into Luther Haven Nursing Home where he continued to be a caring, loving man spending much of his time with special friend, Lavine Bertrand. He enjoyed many activities during his lifetime, among which included singing in the Barbershop Chorus, attending Trinity and Our Savior's Lutheran Churches in Montevideo, and Ascension Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs. He was a member of the Masons, Shrine Club, Eastern Star, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Carrol always took great delight in his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. His family especially enjoyed his sense of humor, loyalty, wisdom and his unconditional love. In the late evening hours of Saturday, November 13, 2010, in the presence of loving family, Carrol passed peacefully into God's hands. He was 87 years of age.He is survived by his three daughters and their respective families- Jane (& Richard) Paradis and their son and daughter-in-law, Steven (& Jenny) Paradis, all of Colorado Springs, CO; Sally (& James W.) Larson of Duluth, MN and their children- Katy Ockwig Larson of Putney, VT & Kelly (& Erik) Lundberg of Minneapolis, MN; Sonja (& James) Zenk of Montevideo, MN and their children- Andrew (& Laura) Zenk of Grand Forks, ND, Pamela (& Eric) Baukol of Montevideo, MN and Rebecca Zenk of Minneapolis, MN; great grandchildren- Grace, Gage and Claire Zenk and Nels & Patrick Baukol. Carrol was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, two sisters- Juella Agre and Lila Grove; and two brothers- John Ockwig and Olaf Ockwig.