Kathy Baldner

Kathy Baldner passed away in Casa Grande, AZ on January 17, 2019. Heaven gained a kind, gentle, and beautiful soul that day. She was born October 27, 1948 in Fargo, ND to her parents, William and Martha Dahl Carlisle. She grew up with her three sisters and brother on the family farm in Chaffee, ND and attended elementary and high school at Chaffee Public School. From a very early age, Kathy loved to read. While her sisters were cooking and baking or playing on the farm, she was always in her room reading. She taught many of us that we had "permission to put down a book if you don’t like it." She graduated from North Dakota State University in Fargo with a degree in Sociology. Go Bison!

She and her husband, Bob, met in college at NDSU and got married on August 30, 1969. They were married for 49 years. Their son, Bob Jr, was born in in Waukegan, IL, where they moved for Bob’s first job as a pharmacist after graduating college. They eventually moved back to Fargo, where Christy and Jennifer were born. Kathy and Bob moved from ND to Laurel, MT in 1980 when they purchased Price Pharmacy, which they ran together until 2006. Once in Montana, she and her family took advantage of the outdoors and the kids grew up camping in the summer and skiing in the winter. Kathy took a Ladies Day ski class at Red Lodge Mountain for so many years that the mountain administration finally asked her to start teaching it. She was an incredibly beautiful skier. But more than anything she loved teaching others. From there, both Bob Jr and Jen followed in her footsteps and she was so proud of the wonderful instructors they became. When it came to skiing, those three were always hard at work while Bob Sr and Christy purely recreated.

After she and Bob retired, Kathy started painting watercolors and found she had a tremendous gift, spending much of her time on this new hobby. They purchased a home in Casa Grande, AZ in 2010 and became snowbirds. No one thought she’d stick with it, that she’d miss Montana too much, but she found that warm weather, to a degree, suited her.

Kathy was a woman of deep faith and she and Bob attended church at St Anthony’s in Laurel as well as being involved in RCIA and Cursillo. She stayed very involved with her faith and church after they relocated to AZ.

Kathy was a kind and gentle spirit and people were drawn to her for common sense advice. She never fussed about herself, focusing only on everyone else’s comfort and happiness. She had a gentle heart and especially loved helping those in need. She was no frills and liked simple things like steak and potatoes. Her cars were always navy blue, with lots of cup holders. She loved college basketball and adopted Duke as her team. And, she loved cheering for anything having to do with her alma matter, NDSU. She and Bob had many wonderful pets over the years and she especially loved her buddies, Barkley and little Livi, who was the perfect lap dog.

Above all, nothing made Kathy happier than being together with her family.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Bob, daughters, Christy (Greg) Castronovo, Bozeman, MT, Jennifer Baldner, Bozeman and Theresa Baldner, Livingston, MT, grandchildren, Jonah and Delaney Castronovo, brother, Brian (Grace) Carlisle, Prescott, AZ, sisters, Susan (David) Schmidt, Alice, ND, Elizabeth Boyle, Fargo, ND, Barbara (Ron) Arneson, Fargo, ND, sister-in-law, Pat Williams, Maricopa, AZ and many nieces and nephews and extended family who loved her dearly.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, son, Bob Baldner, Jr., and brother-in law, David Boyle.

A memorial service will be held on January 21, 2019 at 1 pm at J Warren Mountain View Chapel in Casa Grande. In lieu of flowers, her family ask that donations be made in her name to St. Vincent De Paul of Casa Grande, AZ and Community Hope of Laurel, MT.