Carol M. Butkowski, 87, St. Joseph

March 31, 1939 - April 4, 2026

Mass of Christian Burial will be 12 noon on Friday, April 10 2026, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph for Carol M. Butkowski, age 87, of St. Joseph. Carol passed away peacefully on April 4 at her home with family at her side. Reverend Jenniges, OSB will officiate. Burial will take place in the St. Joseph Parish Cemetery in St. Joseph at a later date. Visitation will begin after 9 a.m. on Friday at the church’s Heritage Hall.

Carol was born March 31, 1939 in St. Martin, MN to Edward and Bertha (Hemmesch) Sinclair. She attended District 48 grade school and graduated from Melrose High School. She married Mel Butkowski on May 27, 1958 at St. Martin Catholic Church in St. Martin. They moved to the Twin Cities and started their family. In 1974, they moved to their new St. Joseph community. She got to know her new community by working at Loso’s Grocery Store in St. Joseph. She would go onto work Quality Control at Fingerhut from which she retired. After retirement she stayed active by working at Curve’s for many years.

Carol was a devoted wife to her husband of 66 years Mel. As a mother, she gave endlessly of herself, nurturing her children with patience, wisdom and unwavering support. As a grandmother and great grandmother, she found some her greatest happiness in the laughter and love of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. The relationships she built with family and friends is what she cherished the most.

Carol is survived by her children Dona Lamphere of Sartell, Dan (Pam) of St. Joseph, Debby (John) Slaperud of Coon Rapids, Dennis (Kara) of St. Joseph and Deann (Jeff) Wise of Blythewood, SC, 11 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, brothers James (Carolyn) Sinclair of Grey Eagle, Dennis (Donna) Sinclair of Sarasota, FL and Kenny (Jan) Sinclair of Grey Eagle and sister Shirley (Gene) Funk of St. Cloud.
Preceding Carol in death were her parents, husband Mel (2024), sisters Joann, Eileen and Patty and son-in-law Craig Lamphere.

A special thank you to all of her caregivers at CentraCare.