Carolyn Ann Paschke

Carolyn Ann (Kay) Paschke was born in the mission field of Zorzor Liberia on December 1, 1950. The 3rd of 4 children born to Rev Walter Theodore & Delilah Amelia Weind, Kay was named Child of God in the Waters of Baptism on Christmas Eve, 1950. After surviving malaria and other various illnesses, her family returned to their native Canada, where she spent her childhood in Winnipeg, playing basketball & field hockey and running cross country in the days before Title IX. Holding provincial women’s distance records that stood for decades, she graduated in 1969 from Tech Voc High School, moving to Grand Forks ND to pursue her education at the University of North Dakota and compete in all three sports. In 1972, when Title IX was passed, she was part of the first class of women to receive equal access to athletics. Decades later, the University of North Dakota sent her a varsity letter, and acknowledgement for the awards that were withheld from her and other female athletes.

In 1972, she met David Michael Paschke, a local farmer. They were married by her father at Christ Lutheran Church on July 7, 1973. Moving to a homestead in rural East Grand Forks, the couple spent 53 years on their farm. Daughter Tracy was born in 1980 and Kay stayed home until she began work in the Alvarado Schools in 1987 as a paraprofessional. After Alvarado Schools closed, she spent over a decade in Kelly Schools as a paraprofessional in the special education department. In 2005, granddaughter Shahra was welcomed home from Ethiopia, and in 2008 grandson Samuel, also born in Ethiopia, completed the family. Summers were spent enjoying weeks long visits with the grandchildren on the farm, cross-country trips to Prince Edward Island, Oregon and Alaska. Retirement highlights included taking the grandchildren to SPA, swim lessons, and teaching them to drive the Kubota.

A decades long member of University Lutheran Church, Kay was quietly, yet deeply grounded in her faith. Though private, she found strength from hymns, The Lord’s Prayer and, in her later years, online worship with congregations from around the country-including the local Nigerian Church community of Grand Forks. God’s presence was deeply felt in nature and on the farm, where she tended her yard on the tractor until 2 weeks before her passing.

Kay is survived by husband Dave (East Grand Forks), daughter Rev Tracy Paschke Johannes (Jeff) & Grandchildren Shahra & Samuel (all of Ohio), brothers W. David Weind (June), Richard Weind (Norma), sister Rosemary McDowell (JR), and various cousins-all residing in Canada, her beloved pup Radar, and many friends and former colleagues. 

Services will be held at University Lutheran Church with a private family burial at Bethany Lutheran Cemetery.

 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Global Refuge to support immigrants and refugees. 

Special thanks to Dr. Adetola Haastrup and Dr. Josh Deere for the years of care, and HIA/Hospice of the Red River Valley for their end-of-life support.