Carol Susan (Ingersoll) Buchheit passed away in Glasgow, Montana, on September 17, 2023.
She was born September 3, 1951, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Ruth Maxine (French) and Lewie Oliver Ingersoll, joining older sister Janice. As a young child, her family moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, then Flint, Michigan, where her brother Roger was born. In the 1960s Carol’s family moved to the Pittsburgh area, then to Philadelphia. Some places were more enjoyable than others (Pittsburgh was an awesome town then for a teen), but all the changes helped her appreciate the variety and advantages of different moves. Carol graduated from Upper Moreland Senior High School in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, where her most notable activity was participation in music (flute in District Band and Orchestra, pit orchestra for musicals). She earned degrees in Psychology and Educational Psychology from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
After graduating, she met Lawrence “Larry” Buchheit doing child care work with emotionally impaired children in residential care (as staff, not residents). While challenging, the work was so rewarding she felt it was the best job she ever held. Larry had been a lifelong Michigan resident, and Carol thought she’d be there for the long haul. But within a few years, they moved to Bozeman, Montana, for Larry to hire-out on the railroad and to be near his twin, Gary’s family. Raymond (1981) and Michael (1985) were both born in Bozeman and for ten years the family remained there until the BN railroad was sold to Montana Rail Link, there was a lot of laughter and fun on the Bozeman pass.
The family relocated to the Glasgow area where Larry had initially hired on as a trainman, and the family lived in Fort Peck for the next 30+ years. To enjoy Montana and arrange her home exactly as she wished was a great blessing, thanks to Larry’s ability to build anything or fix anything she broke. Gardening, sewing, cooking, family (especially granddaughters Eva, Anika, and Ayla), travel/camping, birding, kayaking, swimming, and the theatre were all sources of joy to her. Visiting family in Alaska and a trip to Iceland were perhaps the most memorable traveling she and Larry were able to do. For all her interests, Fort Peck was perfect in retirement.
Carol was employed in Bozeman by Montana State University for ten years and found work in northeast Montana with Girl Scouts for a year, and the Corps of Engineers for a brief stint. But her working life was primarily in administrative jobs at Western Area Power Administration in Fort Peck, retiring in 2014. Carol believed she’d been given so much, and that it’s important to give back to the community. Among her activities, she served 16 years on school boards in Bozeman, Fort Peck, and Nashua. She served on the FMDH board for a term and found a match for her interests in Caring Hands.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents Ruth and Lew Ingersoll, in-laws Robert and Janice Buchheit, brother-in-law Gary Buchheit, and grandparents Merle and Irene (Batcher) French, and Robert and Emma (Vollen) Ingersoll. Also preceding her in death are aunts: Geraldine Jennings, Gilma Ingersoll, Olivia Ingersoll, and Doris Ingersoll, and uncles: Edwin Ingersoll, Milo Ingersoll, Theron Ingersoll, and Robert Jennings.
She is survived by her husband Larry, who stood by her through everything; also, by her loving sons and their families of whom she was inordinately proud: Ray (Allyson) and daughters Eva and Anika of Homer, AK, and Michael (Melinda) and daughter Ayla of Bozeman, MT. She gained a special daughter with exchange student Orrawan “Ann” Montien of Thailand. Also surviving her are her favorite sister Janice (Cliff) Westerling, favorite brother Roger (Deb) Ingersoll, and special sister-in-law Julia Buchheit. Other family include brother-in-law Bob (Lynn) and several friends: Tina, Bonny, Virginia, and Mary who were like family and showed up in so many ways during her last illness. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.
A local memorial service will be held at Bell Mortuary on October 3, 2023, time will be announced. A private family gathering will take place at a later date for her inurnment. Condolences may be left for the family at bellmortuarymontana.com. Boating and swimming off the Fort Peck Dam or at Sleeping Buffalo were her favorite activities – donations to the Valley County Pool Fund would be appreciated or to the charity of your choice. Special thanks to the doctors and nursing staff at Francis Mahon Deaconess Hospital and the Billings Clinic for their compassion and professionalism during a difficult time.