Caroline Buller

October 5, 1924 - July 3, 2020

Caroline ‘Carol’ Buller passed away very peacefully on July 3, 2020 at McCone County Health Center. Visitation is Thursday, 1:00-5:00 P.M. July 9, 2020 at Silha Funeral Home in Glendive, Montana. Interment will be in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery. A memorial service will be held Friday, July 10, 2020 2:00 P.M.at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Richey, Montana with Reverend Eric Danielson officiating. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with arrangements. Caroline was born in Marion, SD on October 5, 1924 to Garrett and Grace (Johns) Drost. She grew up and went to school in Parker and Marion, SD, graduating with the Marion Class of 1942. Some of her favorite classes in school were Home Economics and sewing. She began working outside the home by babysitting, ironing and cleaning houses at the age of 12. She worked for 4 years for the Dr. Thiessen hotel café as a waitress. She enjoyed getting together with her friends from work by roller skating every Friday night. On a blind date in 1943, she met the man of her dreams, Elmer ‘Jim’ Buller. They were married March 5, 1944 and their honeymoon was to a farm they had bought in Eastern Montana where they raised cattle, hayed and planted and harvested crops. Here they made their home and raised their family of six children, 5 girls and 1 boy...Judy (Butch) Raisl, Bonnie (Larry) Smith, Darrel (Jan) Buller, Nancy (Duane) Ulrich, Cami (Ed) Mahoney, and Karen (Jim) Moore. Life was busy and full on the farm. Mom, spent countless hours painting, washing clothes, milking cows and butchering hundreds of chickens. Not only did she take excellent care of the house, but planted a big garden, (many times to share with the neighbors), raised chickens and ducks, milked cows and had well-groomed flowerbeds. Butchering pigs was a winter event, all getting together for an annual butchering bee. She cared for the home and the needs of the children with what appeared to be such ease. She sewed most of their clothing, was very involved in the Alliance Church and was diligent to take them to church and instilled the importance of church and a personal relationship with Jesus in each one of them. Carol was active in a Homemakers’ Club and oh the fun these ladies had together! She cherished the many neighborly get-togethers just to stay connected with others in the community. Spur of the moment potluck picnics in the badlands was a total joy. Mom was a much-disciplined woman. She never allowed herself to sit for more than 30 minutes at a time and then would walk around and do something different for a while before sitting back down. She was very industrious and this was the key to her being able to live such a long life, to be able to live alone and care for her own needs & those of her home for all these years. She set the bar high for us to follow!! She sewed clothing for us and our dolls, crocheted many beautiful items, made quilts and quilted them by hand, did embroidery, made her own pillows from the duck feathers, and loved to mend things. She made her own bread, rolls, pies, and many other delightful things. You could always count on her to have something on her cupboard to enjoy. One year she kept track of the pies she made in a year and it was 384!!! Many times it was fresh out of the oven just as we walked in the door from school each day. Oh the wonderful welcoming smells and delicious treats we enjoyed at the end of our day!! Mom was always dedicated to her family. They were her LIFE! This became even more evident when her life partner of 47 years passed away. Having any of the family come to visit or getting letters, phone calls, or being invited to family gatherings made her day. When she moved off the farm and into Richey in 2008, she longed for the pop-in visits of the family or friends. They were what made her day and kept her going. She was very hard of hearing and visiting was hard, but oh how she longed for it anyway. Mom believed in communicating with people. She taught us over and over by her example the importance of dropping notes of encouragement, sending cards and just plain corresponding with friends and family throughout the years. She kept a detailed diary through the years and many times she would look back in those diaries to settle some questions about things. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim; sons Darrel & Dennis, and daughter Karen; sons-in-law Alex Jackson, Duane Ulrich & Ken Warner; and grandson Mikel Ulrich. She is survived by her children Judy (Butch) Raisl, Bonnie (Larry) Smith, Nancy Ulrich & Cami (Ed) Mahoney, daughter-in-law Jan Buller, son-in-law Jim Moore; her grandchildren Bruce (Elecia) Smith, Brent (Carla) Smith, Amy (Eric) Danielson, Kris (Jess) Buller, Karly (Mike) Daniel, Colin & Devin Ulrich, Preston (Ana) Ulrich, Emilee (Mike) Thomas, Natalee (Jared) Martin, Hailee (Nathan) Sterns, Mitchel Warner, Christian (Elinor) Moore, Kole, Adi & Ali Moore; 19 great grandchildren; Brother John ‘Bud’ (Helen) Drost, Sisters Dorothy Lauck and Edith Weber. A beautiful woman, friend, Mother, Grandma and Great Grandma will be missed tremendously. Our loss is now heaven’s reward!!!