Obituary - Carol Jane Staudacher

Carol Jane Staudacher passed away March 18th, 2023, in Phoenix, after suffering a stroke in Yuma, Arizona. She had spent the morning at water aerobics and pottery, enjoying retirement and living a life that hard work and determination had afforded her.

A memorial will be held May 18th, 2023, 12 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church in Havre, followed by a graveside service at 1 p.m. at Hi-Line Cemetery and lunch at the Eagles Club at 2 p.m.

Memorial donations can be made in her memory to Dress for Success, dressforsuccess.org, or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Carol was born in Havre, Montana, July 18, 1947, to Lloyd Knut Hellebust and Barbara Jane Dickinson Hellebust.

In 1964, Carol married James Richard Lammerding and they had three boys, James, Shane, and Jeff. In 1987, Carol married Dale Staudacher and made a bigger family with Dale's daughters Renee and Paula. With Dale, Carol started to see the world. Their first big adventure was to Italy with her sister Linda and her brother-in-law Neil Collins. Dale passed away in 2004 from cancer.

Carol married Gary Murdoch at the Little White Church in Las Vegas, 2012. They had a bond and connection instantly, both being widowed by cancer. Gary moved to Havre, and their new adventures began. In their time together they saw Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Sweden, and Carol's ancestral home in Norway. Prior to her passing, Carol and Gary had booked another trip to Iceland, Ireland, England, Spain, and Portugal.

Since 2017, Carol and Gary have been spending their winters at Country Roads Retirement Community in Yuma, Arizona, and loved every minute of it. They filled their days with water aerobics, pottery classes, dances, and socializing with friends. It was there, she developed a love for pottery and spent much time playing in clay.

Carol spent many years working at Citizens Bank, which is now Wells Fargo Bank, in Havre. In the late 1980s, she bought Stetsons Custom Frame Shop, later naming it Carols Framing and Gifts. She enjoyed taking a simple picture and turning it into a work of art with custom framing and matting. At the age of 51, Carol joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection and spent four months in Georgia training. She wanted to be stationed along the northern border in Montana and started in Turner, Montana. She also spent time at the Sweet Grass and Piegan Ports of Entry. Later she worked in the Havre Sector Border Patrol office as a procurement officer, retiring in 2013.

Carol is survived by her husband Gary Murdoch of Havre; sister Linda (Neil) Collins of Kissimmee, Florida; brother Eric Hellebust of Nevada City, California; sons, James Lammerding of Havre, Shane (Brenda) Lammerding of Saco, and Jeff (Susan) Lammerding of Arlee; stepchildren Renee (Bill) Burgess of Billings and Paula Lacey of Ontario, Washington; grandchildren McCall and Colter Lammerding, Paige Carney, Taylor and Peyton Lammerding, Megan and Sam Burgess, and Josh and Sara Lace; great-grandchild Paisley Sue Carney.

Carol's family wishes to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to the Barrows Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. She spent her last days with dignity and grace, receiving excellent care from their caring nurses, doctors, and staff. We also want to thank Twila and Jim Burdick of Phoenix, and Emily and Don Bogut of Yuma, for helping us during our time of greatest need. And all of Carol and Gary's friends at Country Roads for their outpouring care and friendship.