Karen L. Kultgen

     Karen Loretta (Hall) Kultgen, 83, entered into heaven on April 4^th, 2024 surrounded by her family at the Chester Hospital after battling cancer.    Her funeral will be at 2pm Saturday, April 13^th, 2024 at the Whitlash Community Church, with burial in the Whitlash Cemetery.  Following, there will be a luncheon at the Whitlash Community Hall.

     Karen was born March 11, 1941 in Havre, MT to James A and Caroline M (Suckow) Hall.   She grew up on the farm north of Rudyard, MT with her sister Kathy and her brother Jim.  She graduated from Rudyard High School in 1959. After she graduated, she attended Hillcrest Bible School in Medicine Hat, Alberta for 2 years and then studied nursing at Northern MT College in Havre, MT.  While working at the Liberty County Medical Center, she met her soulmate Urban Kultgen.  They married July 24^th, 1965.  They had four children Taun, Daniel “Boone”, Leslie, and Wade. She also helped raise 3 stepchildren, Tammy, Robert, and Kent.  Over the next 58 years, they embarked on many adventures while living in the Sweet Grass Hills, including farming, owning and operating the General Stores in both Whitlash and Galata, being members of the Whitlash Saddle Club, snowmobiling in Essex, and traveling often to Indiana, Texas, and Canada to see family.  They enjoyed riding the train, and one trip took them clear to Virginia to pick up a car they purchased.  They also went on several cruises, and won a trip to Hawaii. One of their major achievements was being charter members of the Sweet Grass Hills Family Camp that brought hundreds of families together every summer for 25 years to worship and learn about God.  Karen was also a longtime Sunday school teacher and Whitlash Lady’s Club member.  Her home was open to anyone and the coffee was always on.

     Karen was known for being present at EVERY event for her children including school activities, sports, and 4H.  She loved to spoil the grandkids, often cooking a wide range of dishes at each meal to suite everyone’s taste.  She always had rice krispies treats for snacks, and made sure all the grandkids learned her favorite card game of rummy. 

     Karen was the Postmaster at the Whitlash Post Office for 38 years from August 1^st, 1974 to 2012.  After her day ended at the Post Office, she would head south 37 miles on a gravel road to Chester in all kinds of weather to work a shift at the Medical Center ending at 11pm and then return back to Whitlash.  Karen had a true servant’s heart, and her passion was being a CNA for 38 years at the Liberty County Hospital (Logan Health Center) in Chester, Montana.  But it wasn’t long after she retired on February 28, 2020, that she would continually remark that she wanted to go back to work because that was her calling.

     Most importantly, it is with great comfort to her family and friends that Karen knew Jesus as her personal savior and is now in paradise.

     Karen is survived by her husband Urban Kultgen of Whitlash, son Daniel “Boone” (Vicki) Kultgen of Whitlash, daughter Leslie (Alan) Peterson of Clyde Park, Wade (Mary) Kultgen of Havre, stepdaughter Tammy Beyer of Bozeman, stepson Rob (Lucinda) Kultgen of Whitehall, stepson Kent (Lyla) Kultgen of Snohomish, WA, brother Jim Hall of Great Falls, and 31 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Karen is preceded in death by her parents James and Caroline Hall, in-laws Emil and Grace Kultgen, sister Kathy and bother-in-law Oswald Heinrich, and son Taun Kultgen.