Obituary: Verna Kautzman

Verna Kautzman

Verna I. Kautzman, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother entered Heaven on April 17, 2024, at the age of 78 while under the comforting care of her family and the staff of Sanford Fargo Hospice. She fought a courageous battle with cancer and is now resting peacefully.

Verna was born February 20, 1946, to Herman (Slim) and Hattie (Ferguson) Miller of Carrington, N.D. She grew up on the family farm near Carrington and graduated from Carrington High School with the class of 1964.

On April 8, 1967, Verna and Gary Kautzman wed and together celebrated over 40 years of marriage.

Verna worked for the Chieftain Motel and Restaurant in Carrington for over 23 years. She started work in the motel, but her true calling was when she became their pastry chef in the cafe. Her baked goods always garnered rave reviews.

After Gary's passing in 2009, she moved to Fargo to be closer to her children and grandchildren. In Fargo, she worked briefly for both Edgewood Healthcare and Casey's. Verna had a superior work ethic that was apparent in her various jobs as well as her home, taking care of her family's every need.

She had an immense love for her entire extended family as well. Notably she expressed this by keeping a recipe box of everyone's birthdays and anniversaries so she could send a card, often with a few special grandma dollars in it. Verna and Gary put together countless puzzles over the years and she continued this love of puzzling until the end. She was a competitive game player and thoroughly enjoyed playing Hand and Foot and various other games with her girlfriends at Fieldstone, often late into the night.

Verna was such a strong woman and exhibited that strength to the end. She valiantly fought against her initial one-year prognosis for nearly three.

Those left to cherish her memory include her two children, Brenda Jones of Hawley, Minn., and Patrick Kautzman of Fargo, N.D.; five grandchildren, Casey (Amber) Jones, Moorhead Minn., Ryan Jones, Dallas, Texas, Jacob Kautzman Hawley, Minn., Abby Kautzman (Joey) Lincoln, Neb., and Ellery Kautzman, Fargo, N.D.; great grandchild, Wyatt Jones; brother, Milton Miller; brother-in-law, Terry Deehr and many special nephews and nieces.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her parents-in-law, Innocent and Fawn Kautzman; husband Gary; sisters, Lois (Devain) Helmer and Karen Deehr; brothers, Wallace (Emily) Miller and Howard (Jean) Miller; sister-in-law, Gloria Miller and brother-in-law Gary Hafner.

Visitation was held at Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo, on April 23, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. with prayer service at 6:00 p.m.

Arrangements by Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center, Fargo.