Caroline "Carol" Herner, 80, of Wilton, ND passed away unexpectedly on Sunday morning, December 27, 2020 at Sanford Hospital in Bismarck with her family by her side due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday, December 31, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Wilton with Monsignor Gene Lindemann officiating.  Interment will be held in Riverview Cemetery, Wilton.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM with a vigil service at 7:00 on Wednesday at the church in Wilton.  Masks and social distancing will be required for the visitation and funeral mass.  The vigil service and mass will be live streamed on the Goetz Funeral Home website at the bottom of Carol's obituary page.  The vigil will listed first and then scroll down to the funeral mass.

Carol was born on January 7, 1940 in Strasburg, she was the youngest of 13 children born to Joseph and Margaret (Baumgartner) Hager.  She graduated in 1958 from Strasburg High School. After graduation she moved to Bismarck, and soon after she met Don Herner, who became the love of her life, and they were married September 16, 1961. Together they shared a wonderful life for 45 years. They made their home in Bismarck, where Carol worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone from 1961 to 1980.   Don and his brother Kermit went on a fishing trip, and on their way home they stopped at the Bandit Grocery store in Wilton, where as they decide to break the news to Carol and Teddie, that they will be moving to the small town of Wilton.  They became owners of "Herner's Mini Mart" (AKA "the yellow lemon), in January of 1979, and the 4 of them ran the store, until they sold it in 1997.   Carol then became employed at the Cenex  "C" store in Wilton from 1996, until her death, where she got up at 4:15 in the morning, and went to work 3 days a week to unload freight, and stock shelves.  In her last few years of work, you found her in the cooler, with her coat on and stocking cases of pop.   She loved to work the front, in her early years just to visit with customers.   She was someone who enjoyed work, and wanted to do it for as long as she could.  Carol also managed "Wilton Community Progress from 2006 until the time of her death.

Carol was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic church. Carol and her sister in law, Teddie co-chaired the annual September Fest at Sacred Heart.  She also taught CCD, and was a member of the Alter Society. Carol was very strong in faith, you often found her in her chair reading her bible or in her bathroom saying the rosary daily.  She was selfless, caring, kind, and had a heart full of love for all around her.   If you walked into her kitchen she has a saying over her sink  "Good Food-Good Friends-Good Times"  when you came to Carol's house you never left, hungry, sad, or mad.    Her last days were spent in the kitchen cooking for her family, friends, and neighbors. Carol loved to shop and travel with her niece, Lori Caya, the two of them had a special relationship. She also had a niece and nephew that were more like 2 of her own children.  Mike Herner and Michelle Helm your families got her thru the tougher days, thank you for spending time with our parents through the years, your love and support made their lives complete.

Carol is survived by her 3 children, Dave Herner (Wilton), Lisa Jenkins (Wilton), Nancy (Jay) Barnick (West Fargo); 2 grandchildren, Jordyn Jenkins (special friend Matt) (West Fargo), Brandon Jenkins (Valley City); two sisters, Helen Bachmeier (Bismarck) and Irene Heidrich (Strasburg) and many nieces and nephews.  She had a special relationship with her brother in law and sister in law Kermit and Teddie Herner.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Margaret, her husband, Don and siblings Katherine Welk, Julia Fiest, Mary Zacher, Barb Silbernagel, Alice Heidrich, Pius Hager, Andy Hager, Eddie Hager, Joe (Sunny) Hager, and an infant sister.

We would like to send out a special thank you to the Wilton Ambulance, Sanford Hospital and also to the community of Wilton, who always treated mom with kindness, this was her home.

Prayer Service