Carol Jean Michels of Medicine Lake died March 22, 2022, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings.
She was born May 14, 1945, to Jens and Marie Jensen in Plentywood. She was the last of six, following Ellen, June, Johnny, Shirley and Lillian.
She married Gary Ereth in January 1961 and, together, they had Craig, Wanda, Sandra, Timothy and Tasha. They lived in many places together, including southern California, Arizona, Wyoming, western Montana and Medicine Lake before moving to her family farm west of Medicine Lake. They eventually divorced.
She and Jeff Michels blended their families into one in the early 1990s, living together on the family farm raising their two youngest daughters, Tasha and Danielle. They were later married in March 2011. Together, they owned C& J Automotive, where they worked together for many years.
She was known by many for her excellent cooking due to her time working in area cafes and clubs. She also worked as a cook at Medicine Lake Schools for a time. Later, she owned Carol’s Cafe in Froid, where she shared her culinary skills with whomever was lucky enough to stumble upon it.
She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing many of the suits and dresses for her older sons’ and daughters’ proms, special performances and sweetheart balls, as well as chic coats for her younger daughters. She even sewed clothing for others as a way to earn extra income in the early years. Upholstery became another skill she mastered, owning an upholstery shop in Medicine Lake in the early 2000s.
She loved flowers and planted them to enliven the outside living spaces at her country home. She especially liked visiting the area nurseries to find just the right varieties. Her artistic side found expression in painting as
