Kirsten Arlene Lund Algaard

Kirsten completed her earthly journey on April 26, 2016, as she passed into the loving arms of her Lord.

Kirsten was born on a warm Wednesday morning in early July 1964, in Minneapolis, to Richard C. Lund and Beverly A. Lund.

She was educated in the Bozeman and Billings school systems, and graduated from high school at Billings Senior High, where she was very proud to be a varsity cheerleader. She also attended Montana State for a time.

She was her father's tomboy, excelling in many outdoor activities and sports, especially snow skiing and water skiing. Between her and her sister Dana, she was the first to master a stick shift in an old red VW bug and the first to get a Honda trail bike and master it.

Kirsten worked nearly 20 years in the women's fashion and sporting good retail industry. Her job history carried her from organizations as varied as Hart-Albin in Billings to REI in Spokane, Wash. Before returning to Billings, she managed a "Sun & Ski Sports" store in Houston.

Her retail career ended when she met and then married the man she had been looking for for a long time, Dewey Algaard, on May 28, 2000. Dewey brought his three children, Kadee, David and Derek, into this marriage and, all of a sudden, Kirsten had a ready-made family. On Jan. 5, 2002, Kirsten gave birth to Layne Perry Algaard, which completed their family.

Kirsten was an outgoing person who, once you made a connection with her, loved you for life and told you every time she saw you. She had a beautiful smile and a personality to match. When she walked into a room, she would light it up. She was a fierce competitor and was tough as nails. As a junior ski racer, many times she would beat out many of the male competitors.

Her hobbies were many. As an adult, she continued to snow ski and loved the technical runs anywhere she skied; she skied with grace and ease. As a water skier, she would outski most, even in her 50s. She loved being the passenger on our Harley Davidson and saw thousands of miles from the Grand Canyon, California coast, to Banff National Park in Canada. She had her own motocross bike and enjoyed going to the hill climbs and telling everybody about her bike. She was a passionate fisherwoman who was the first one with a line in the water and the last to take it out.

Kirsten will be dearly missed by all of her family and friends, of whom she had many. Kirsten was the love of Dewey's life, as he was hers.

Kirsten was preceded in death by her grandparents.

She leaves behind her husband of 15 years, Dewey Algaard of Laurel; her parents, Richard and Beverly Lund of Swan Lake; her mother-in-law, Darlene Algaard of Moorhead, Minn.; her sister, Dana Lund of Billings; her children, Layne Perry Algaard, Kadee Algaard, David Algaard, all of Laurel, and Derek Algaard of Moorhead; an aunt, Dotty Bracken of Centennial, Colo.; Aunt Carol (Stan) Miarka of Phoenix; Aunt Patty (Jerry) Campbell of Phoenix. Also a granddaughter, Chari Hayter of Laurel.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of her life will be held at a time and place to be announced at a later date.