Carol Voyen

Carol Ann (Christensen) Voyen

September 21, 1934 - March 10, 2020

Carol Ann Voyen began her eternal life with the Lord on March 10, 2020, having been surrounded in love by her large family in her final days.

Carol Ann Christensen was born September 21, 1934, at home in Montevideo, Minnesota, the first daughter born to Arthur and Norma (Larsen) Christensen. All of Carol’s grandparents immigrated to the United States from Denmark in the late 1800s. The extended family of Art and Norma was close, and visits to relatives in Marshall, Tyler, and Ivanhoe, MN, were special family outings.

Carol lived in Montevideo (Monte) along with her parents and younger sister Diane until 1951 when the family moved to Pipestone, MN. While in Monte, Carol was involved in golfing, cheerleading, GAA (where she played point guard in half-court basketball), taking care of the family garden, riding in the Holsum Bread truck while her dad made deliveries, and playing with the family dog, Pat. After moving to Pipestone at the end of her junior year in high school, Carol continued with cheerleading and GAA, and was also trained to be a lifeguard and worked at the Pipestone Municipal Pool during the summers of 1951 and 1952.

Carol graduated from Pipestone High School in 1952 and attended Mankato State Teacher's College for one year before meeting James (Jim) Voyen in Pipestone. Carol and Jim married September 6, 1953, and after a honeymoon at the Black Hills in South Dakota and in Canada, they moved to West St. Paul, MN. Carol and Jim welcomed the birth of the first of their five children, Jeffery Keith, in 1954. They lived for a short while in 1954 in Fergus Falls, MN, but were back in the Twin Cities when daughters Jeanne Marie and Teresa Lynn were born in 1955 and 1957. The family moved back to Fergus Falls in 1958 where Nancy Ann and Thomas James were born in 1960 and 1964. They moved to White Bear Lake, MN, a suburb of St. Paul, in 1967, where they lived until all their children graduated from high school.

Carol and Jim owned a townhome on Lake Carlos in Alexandria for weekend lake trips for many years while living in various places in the Twin Cities area, but sold it when they moved to Alexandria permanently after Jim's retirement, living first in a large home on Lake Le Homme Dieu then a twin home on Lake Cowdry, and finally in a senior living facility. Carol and Jim hosted many family get-togethers at their lake homes over the years, where their children and grandchildren loved to play on the beach, fish and go boating. Carol and Jim moved back to a senior living facility in the Twin Cities in 2013 to be near their children.

Carol believed her biggest accomplishment was raising her five children, but she was also a talented golfer and an invaluable volunteer for the many church, school and community groups she was involved in. After her children left the nest, Carol took painting classes and her 13 paintings are now displayed in homes throughout her family. She was an avid reader, enjoyed playing Bridge, and always made the Lutheran Church she belonged to the focal point of her life. Christian living, study and prayer were her foundation and kept her centered on what was most important in life. Her family and friends have greatly benefited from her generous, caring nature, and her passing will leave a huge void in their lives.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Art and Norma Christensen, in-laws Edgar and Grace Voyen, son-in-law Randy Halverson, nephew Mike Melrose, sister-in-law Mary Melheim, and brothers-in-law Frank Melheim and Andy Melrose.

Carol is survived by her loving husband Jim; sister: Diane Melrose; sons: Jeff (Cindy) Voyen, Tom (Jamie) Voyen; daughters: Jeanne (Dave) Marlow, Terri (Glenn) Marx, Nancy Halverson; grandchildren: Amelia Voyen, Abram (Kristine) Voyen, Elyse (Gregoire) Yeche, Beth (Charlie) Foltz, Ryan (Maranda) Stempski, Adam (Stacy) Schuster, Allison Marlow, Anna (Dylan) Smith, Toby Marx, Joe (Andrea) Laurinaitis, Briana Voyen, Abby Voyen, Andy Voyen; great-grandchildren: Chloe Voyen, Jude Voyen, Avery Rhode, Sophia Rhode, Stella Foltz, Lola Foltz, Lincoln Stempski, Emerson Stempski, Ryker Stempski, Claire Laurinaitis, Sadie Laurinaitis, Tye Laurinaitis; nephews: Steve Melheim, Greg Melheim, Mark Melrose and Tim Melrose.

Funeral services will be 11:30am Sunday at Bradshaw, 2800 Curve Crest Blvd., Stillwater, with visitation one hour prior.

Memorials may be made to St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115.