To view a delayed streaming of the service, which will be available on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, access https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas
To view the flowers from Karen’s service, click here: Karen Ringoen Flowers
Karen Ringoen, 83, rural Plaza entered her heavenly home on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 in a Minot assisted living center.
Karen Janet was born on March 6, 1939 in a Minot hospital to Hjalmer and Clara (Mickelson) Johnson. She was a dutiful daughter helping care for her handicapped brother and three younger siblings on their farm near Deering. The family moved to Minot where Karen attended high school at Dakota Lutheran Academy and graduated in 1957.
Karen married her best friend’s brother, Leo Samuel Ringoen, on October 20, 1957 at Christ Lutheran Church in Minot. After getting married, Leo and Karen resided in California for a brief period of time. They returned to Kickapoo Township of Mountrail County where they lived on the Jorde and Oynes Farmsteads until settling on the Ringoen Farmstead when they built a house there in 1968. As a young couple, they custom harvested in the south for a few summers and Karen was the cook and truck driver. Karen and Leo raised their four children in a loving Christian home and milked cows, grew small grains and raised beef cattle. Karen lived out her faith by her actions. As a Kickapoo 4H leader for 40 years, she taught her four children and many others to sew and bake their 4H projects. Also, she was a member of the Friendly Folks Homemakers Group and was honored for her lifetime involvement in September of 2019. Karen drove school bus for the Plaza/Lewis and Clark School District for twenty-seven years. She drove a daily bus route in addition to taking basketball and track teams to their events.
As a Shell Creek Lutheran Church member since marriage, she was a driving force for the Ladies Aide and the annual church dinner and bazaar as well as the preparation and sale of lumpe at the Hostfest and State Fair Booths. The preparation of the lumpe and lefse by a crew of dedicated workers throughout the years was a special time of friendship and fellowship for her. Karen has been a true friend to many, always helping in any way possible. Also, she volunteered with several organizations including the Mountrail Williams Electric Cooperative Operation Round Up, Lutheran Brotherhood/Thrivent Choice Dollars local Board of Directors and Dakota Lutheran Academy scholarship fundraising committee.
Karen loved animals and growing flowers as well as caring for her home and yard. She enjoyed company at any given time with a cup of coffee, baked goods or extra food for a meal ready at a moment’s notice. She helped raise more than her four children. Steve and Linda (Cable) Christianson as well as her bus kids, 4H kids and Sunday School students were considered part of the family and received her love and care.
Scrapbooking and quilting became her passion once she “retired”. She created, for Dakota Lutheran Academy, memory books for their annual reunions. As our family historian she made multiple scrapbooks and items for display. Also, she gave away numerous quilted table runners to family and friends. Her children and grandchildren will always cherish the quilts she made for each of them. Karen and Leo enjoyed traveling and she collected items from their trips. Leo kept her moving!
Karen had courageously struggled with Parkinson’s Disease for 20+ years and because of that had resided with Leo at the Wellington Assisted Living Facility since November of 2019. Leo and family will be forever grateful for the excellent care Karen received there. Many thanks to all her great caregivers that assisted Leo including First Light Home Care and Caring Edge Hospice as well as family and friends.
Those that shared in her life were her loving husband of 64 years: Leo; children: Tammy Pinnow in Heaven (Steve of Minot), Todd (Stacey) Ringoen of Rural Plaza, Teresa (Dicky) Carpenter of Fairplay, CO, Tonya (Stacy) Brey of Minot; grandchildren: Brandon (DeAnna) Pinnow of Kentucky, Jonathon (Stephanie) Pinnow of Wisconsin, Amy (Brian) Shelton of Texas, Rylie Ringoen & Payton Ringoen of Arizona, Trever Ringoen of Minot, Conner Ringoen of Rural Plaza, Christopher Carpenter & Caroline Carpenter of Colorado, Ashley Brey of Wisconsin, Sydnee Brey of Oregon, Casey Brey, Trystan Brey and Caden Brey of Minot; great grandchildren: Harper Pinnow(KY), Hayley & Duke Pinnow(WI), Millie & Emma Shelton(TX); Siblings: Ruby (Randy) Naslund of Fargo, Bruce (Betty) Johnson of Minot, Eloise Baum of Wisconsin and Mavis Tuttle of Washington along with several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Karen was preceded in death by her daughter: Tammy Pinnow; siblings: Roger Johnson, Kathi Hovde and David Johnson; brothers-in-law: Don Baum and Harold Tuttle; parents: Hjalmer & Clara Johnson and in-laws: Clifford and Millie (Skogstad) Ringoen.
Celebration of the Life of Karen Ringoen: Monday April 4, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. in Shell Creek Lutheran Church – rural Plaza. To view a delayed streaming of the service, which will be available on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, access https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas
Interment will be in the Shell Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Visitation: Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home – Minot.
Family Service: Sunday April 3rd @ 5:30 in Thomas Family Funeral Home – Minot.
Memorials are preferred to your charity of choice in lieu of flowers. Suggested donations can be given to the local Parkinson’s Support Group and Dakota Hope both of Minot.
