Carol Nicholson

Carol Lynn Nicholson, 62, passed away on May 1, 2015, at her home in Columbia Falls.

She was born in Jeffersonville, Ind., on July 8, 1952, the only child to parents Melvin A. “Nick” and Grace (Sommerville) Nicholson.

Early in life she found sports, beginning with bowling on a Saturday morning league at the age of 8, playing summer league softball before her high school years, and powderpuff football as a junior in high school. After graduating from Clarksville High School in 1970, she raced stock cars for two summers at the local track there in Jeffersonville.

She began visiting family in North Pole, Alaska, in the 1970s and in 1981 she made a permanent change of address and spent 13 years working for the Bureau of Land Management. While living in Alaska, she enjoyed fishing for halibut and salmon. She also became involved with National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. After moving to Montana in 2001, she served as the Montana State Federation secretary.

Carol was very involved with family history research. She volunteered her time at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Family History Center in Kalispell. She had spent countless hours researching gravesites for the Montana Veterans Home Cemetery and requesting markers for those who are buried there without markers.

Carol was the organizing regent of Bird Woman Falls Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution in Columbia Falls in 2007. Carol was a Baptist and a member of the Culbertson Baptist Church in New Albany, Ind.

Carol and Billy were married in 1994 in Fairbanks, Alaska, and moved to Kalispell in 2001 to be nearer family. Since moving to Kalispell, they have enjoyed camping and fishing, when they weren’t tied up with their other activities. Carol’s favorite place to fish was Middle Thompson Lake for perch.

As per Carol’s wishes, her ashes will be buried next to her father at Kraft Graceland Cemetery in New Albany at a later date. A memorial plaque will be placed in the Gebo Cemetery in Fromberg, where her husband Billy will be interned next to his first wife Marianne.

Carol was predeceased by her father; her grandparents Edgar L. and Hazel A. Nicholson, of New Albany, Ind., and Harold and Phyllis Sommerville, of Clarksville, Ind.

Carol leaves behind her husband Billy E. Butts, of Columbia Falls; mother and stepfather Grace and F.D. “Brad” Bratager, of Kalispell; and stepsister, Durene Morgan, of Michigan; daughter, Tracy Morsching, and husband, Brian, of Kalispell; grandchildren Emily Flint and husband Zane, Nick and Brianna; great granddaughter Aubry Nicholson; stepchildren Jeanie Heron and Marty, of Montana, Christina Baker, of Washington, Greg Butts and Karla, of Montana, Susan Boyer and Doug, of Utah, and Richard Butts, of Washington; step grandchildren Connie, Mike, Megan, Tim, Catherine, Katelyn, Douglas, Benjamin and Taryn; and step great grandchildren Kylah, Quinton, Camilla, Liam, Elizabeth, Josh, Mariah and Gabriel.

A memorial service will be held for Carol at Columbia Mortuary on Saturday, May 9, 2015, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made to Carol L. Nicholson Page Fund, c/o Dorothy Oliveria, 365 Brookfield Drive, Helena MT 55602 to help DAR pages attend state conferences.