Carol Levin

Carol Levin, 87, passed away July 21, 2022.

A private family burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan in the late summer of 2022.

Our mom, Carol Levin, passed away July 21, 2022. She was with family and maintained awareness, grace, and gratitude through her last breath. She requested we share with friends and family the following message, “Do not be sad, I am happy. I have loved all my family, I have loved all of you, and I have been loved by all. I have had a wonderful life…yes, thank you all.”

In honor of our mother we reflect on a life well lived.

Mom was born December 20, 1934 in Fairdale, ND to Tallak and Hilma (Lofgren) Sholey. She was the youngest of three children. After graduating from Fairdale Public Schools in 1952, mom attended Interstate Business College (IBC) in Fargo, ND. It was during this time, when asked to type 125 letters to local schools by verbal dictation from her employer that she decided a career in business was not her calling. However, she completed IBC.

In April of 1953, she took a state teacher’s examination in Grafton, ND, which led to a teaching position in Dewey Township. Her experience teaching that year inspired her to pursue an education from Mayville State Teachers College the following summer. She graduated in 1957 and began teaching in Northwood, ND. This was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to be an educator, not just in the classroom, but also in her home. The skills she developed as a teacher helped shape who she was for the remainder of her life. Her insightfulness, ability to listen, and sharp wit, NEVER left her.

While she attended Mayville she met our father, James Levin. They were married August 18, 1957. After they married, they lived in Northwood, ND for one year where mom continued to teach, before dad’s job would transfer them to Fisher, MN. In Fisher, mom would continue to teach. However dad’s job would require four more transfers which resulted in a pause in her teaching career. It was the final transfer to Bismarck, ND in 1966 that became the place they settled, loved and would call home. They were separated by our father’s death over 35 years later. Her love for dad remained true until the end of her life. She reminded us throughout the years, “when you have had the best, there is no other.” An inspiring and outgoing couple, the two shared a beautiful love for each other, and a zest for life. They had clear priorities which included love, commitment, supporting their family, faith, humor and laughter. They also enjoyed many adventures together, sports, and the outdoors.

Mom always made her love for us known. She actively supported us in whatever we kids kept her busy with. After all, being a mom was her favorite career. She actively participated in the same way with her grandchildren, taking in concerts and sporting events throughout their school years. She was so proud of each of their talents and the fact they were good kids. Her own talents were many. She could design, draw, paint, write, sew, craft, do household projects, fish, and hunt. She really was a jack-of-all-trades. She thoroughly enjoyed sports at all levels. She was a huge NDSU Bison enthusiast, but always found time to support UND hockey. She was a lifelong Minnesota sports fan which included the Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, North Stars, and the Wild. She could tell you the names of the players and all the plays that she enjoyed over the years.

Besides the full-time job of being a mom, she obtained her real-estate license and worked for Main Real Estate Co, Renner Photography Studio, and St. Alexius Hospital in medical records. She was a life-long member of the American Legion Auxiliary, unit 156. For all the blessings she felt she was given in her life, including being a two time cancer survivor, she shared her gratitude through the years by contributions to Susan G Komen Breast Cancer, American Legion Auxiliary, National Foundation for Cancer Research, Disabled American Veterans, American Heart Association, St Jude’s, March of Dimes, ND Veterans Cemetery Foundation in Mandan, and Easterseals.

Mom was preceded in death by our dad, her parents, siblings, other relatives and several friends. She is survived by her children, Jeff and Nancy (Hofland) Levin, Rhonda (Levin) Mendieta, Medardo Mendieta, and her grandchildren Anibal Mendieta, Lindsey (Levin) and Brad Cernik, Gabriela (Mendieta) and Keeler Johnson, and Garrett Levin.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the ND Veterans Cemetery in Mandan or a charity of your choice.