Colleen K. Couture, 43, Minot, passed away Friday, Aug. 24, 2012, in her home surrounded by her loving family, following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Colleen Kay (Haider) Couture, devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and mentor was born April 3, 1969, in Minot, the youngest of four children to Leo and Kathleen (Friese) Haider.
Colleen attended Des Lacs-Burlington Elementary and High School, graduating with honors in 1987. She attended Minot State University, graduating in 1991 with a bachelor of science degree in education.
Her first teaching position was in 1991 at Wildrose High School in Wildrose where she taught language arts and directed the high school drama club.
Colleen returned to Minot in 1994 to teach language arts at the Burdick Job Corps Center.
In 1995, she began employment with Minot Public Schools teaching language arts. She served as journalism, yearbook and senior class advisor and also drama coach.
In 2010, she earned her Counseling Masters of Education from North Dakota State University in Fargo. With this major accomplishment she began counseling students at Souris River Campus in Minot.
Colleen married Michael Couture in 1994 at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Minot. They were blessed with three beautiful children: Natalie, Nathan and Nicole.
Colleen was an active member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church serving as a CCD teacher, lector and song leader. She was a member of the Confraternity of Christian Mothers. She also was a member of Minot Education Association, North Dakota Education Association and National Council for Teachers of English.
Those who shared in her life: Husband, Mike; children, Natalie, Nathan and Nicole; parents, Leo and Kathleen Haider, all of Minot; sister, Kimberly (Garvin) Semenko, and their children, Austin, Maria and Shannon, all of Williston; brother, Joe (Darcie) Haider, and their children, Micaela and Alexis, all of Minot; sister, Carmen (David) Sincerbeaux, and their children, Cora and Gwen, all of Spirit Lake, Idaho; and by Mike's parents, Louis and Wanpen Couture, Minot. Numerous aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.
Colleen was preceded in death by her grandparents, Mike and Margueritte Haider and Joseph and Marie Friese, and by several aunts and uncles.
Funeral: Wednesday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Minot.
Burial: A private burial will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot.
Vigil prayer service: Today, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m., at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Minot.
Visitation: There will be no reviewal, but friends may sign the guest register Tuesday from 2 to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, one hour prior to the service, both in St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Minot.
Those wishing to sign the online guest register or share memories of Colleen may access the online obituaries at (www.thompsonlarson.com).