Karen Marie Mindeman

Karen Marie (Rogers) Mindeman, 88, passed away on June 18, 2026, at Valley Memorial Homes in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Karen Mindeman was many things to many people. She was a strong Christian. She was a protective mother. She was a devoted wife. She was a loyal friend. She was a valuable resource to the elderly. She was a surprisingly crack shot with a rifle. But some people find greatness later in life, and for Karen Mindeman, that meant becoming the very best grandmother you could possibly ask for. She went to ballgames and plays and concerts. She babysat and took grandkids on cross country trips. She doted, she hugged, she taught, she made boo-boos go away and she went above and beyond so her grandchildren could find happiness and success, even when it meant sacrifice on her part. Grandma Karen was one of a kind.

Growing up, Karen had two sisters. She helped her father raise cattle and came to love all animals, from dogs and cats to horses. This was a passion that never left her, and she had many pets and loved to watch any TV show about animals until her final days. Karen left home in her late teens, and she and a friend moved to Fargo, ND where she went to work at the Bison Hotel as a waitress. It was there that she met Harold Mindeman, the handsome young man who managed the hotel. They each were smitten, and Karen and Harold were wed on October 1, 1957.

Karen and Harold had five children. Harold became part of the Cenex organization and that took the family across North Dakota, from Fargo to Jamestown to Velva and finally to Adams, where the Mindemans set up shop for nearly 20 years. It was there that Karen made lifelong friends. She took care of the kids and the house but also worked several jobs through their time in Adams, including overseeing activities at the Adams Senior Center. When Harold changed careers and became a Baptist minister late in life, Karen supported him through his education and embraced the role of the pastor’s wife, making the most of her unshakeable faith in Jesus Christ. When it came time to retire, Karen and Harold moved to Grand Forks to make it easier to spend time with grandkids (of course). They also joined Grace Baptist Church, where they made many friends and considered the congregation to be extended family.

Karen is survived by her children; Ronn (Carla) Mindeman, Osakis, MN, Joan (LaMar) Haugaard, Vancouver, WA, Barbara (Brent) Hanson, Williston, ND, Renee (Ben) Adams, Grand Forks, ND, and Jay (Rebecca) Mindeman, Grand Forks, ND; grandchildren, Sarah (Siegfried) Feierabend, RaeAnn (Anthony) Meyer, Nathan Haugaard, Rachel (Josh) Anderson, Devin (Erum) Levang, Anne (Ryan) Haugaard, Alexandra Mindeman and Cassidy Mindeman; greatgrandchildren, Annie Anderson, Isaiah Anderson, Julia Anderson, Samantha Feierabend, August Meyer and Eliza Meyer.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents, Clayton and Berniece Rogers; and sisters Leona Purrer and Lorine Zukowski.

A private family service will be held to remember and celebrate her life.