Loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Carolyn L. Meisel, 83, of Grand Forks, ND, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 8th, 2025.

Carolyn was born on October 27th, 1941, to William and Rosemary O'Brien. She attended elementary and high schools in Chicago, IL, and Sacramento, CA.

She graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Visual Arts degree, and later earned her Master of Arts in Counseling from UND. Carolyn worked in a variety of positions. Her career included positions with the Grand Forks Public School system, at UND Center for Aerospace Sciences, Lutheran Social Services, and The Village Family Service Center. She also volunteered at the East Grand Forks Food Shelf.

Carolyn was a gifted and accomplished artist and was a member of Northern Lights Watercolor Society and Riverwalk Artist Group. She worked primarily in mixed media, such as watercolor and acrylics, enhancing her work with ink, pastel, and colored pencil. She would paint and draw things that had meaning to her - flowers from her garden, a beautiful landscape that she saw, and also family members and pets. She had many creative hobbies, which included sculpture, jewelry making, quilting, knitting, sewing, cooking, baking, and gardening.

Carolyn had a deep reverence for life and a love of music. Not only was music important when she would paint or draw a picture, but she also had a beautiful voice. She sang with the choir and small group at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in East Grand Forks, and she played the piano and the Irish harp.

Carolyn loved cards and game nights with family, friends, and neighbors. She also loved birds and animals. However, her greatest love was for her husband and soul mate, Jim, whom she married on November 16th, 1979. She cherished traveling with him, fishing, and spending precious time with him at their cabin in Bemidji.

Carolyn is survived by her loving husband Jim, her children Carl (Cassaundra), Mark (Nila), Terasa (Brian), Michael, Jayne (Wayne), Judy (Jim), Mari (Rory), Karen (Duane), Kate (Dan), brothers Billy, Jack, and Jimmy, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Rosemary, her Aunt Barbara, daughter Peg, son Jimmy, and granddaughter Laura.

Her family would like to thank the outstanding ICU doctors and nurses, and all the staff at Altru Hospital, who provided not only exemplary care, but amazing compassion to both Carolyn and her family.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to local organizations that help people, such as the East Grand Forks Food Shelf and St. Joseph's Social Care and Thrift in Grand Forks.

Memorial Mass: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 21, 2025, in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in East Grand Forks, MN.
Visitation and Family Greeting: 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, October 20, 2025, with a 6:30 p.m. Vigil Service in the Norman Funeral Home Chapel.  Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the liturgy in the church on Tuesday.
Interment: Calvary North Cemetery, Grand Forks, ND.