Gayle Semmen

Ryder

On November 4, 2023, Gayle Lynnette Semmen died in her home at Ryder, ND, with family by her side after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 69 years old.

Gayle was born on January 5, 1954, to Lynn and Arlene (Brandt) Sorenson in Minot, ND. She was raised in Ryder with her brother Gary. She was part of the family tradition of nicknames as she was often called “Suzie”. She enjoyed being a cheerleader for the then Ryder Vikings, singing in choir and playing in the school band. She graduated from North Shore High School in 1972.

After high school, Gayle married Russell Semmen of Douglas, ND, in an August 1972 ceremony. They made their home in Ryder, where they raised their three children, Chad, Amy and Mickey, while farming and raising cattle.

Gayle worked at the cafe in town and kept busy with the community clubs, volunteering and fundraising for the local area and could be seen playing on the Ryder Softball fields for league play. She was a member of Ryder Calvary Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School when her kids were young. Gayle also joined Russell to get certified to drive school bus routes for the school district and had 14 years of driving time. The bus route was a chance to teach their three kids that when the bus route was over their work began with chores of sweeping and washing the windows on the bus. Teaching daily tasks, routines and living as an example that everyone had a responsibility and doing your part was instilled.

She took a job working at the Trinity Nursing Home’s Alzheimer’s Unit in Minot where her caregiving spirit earned her the nickname “Sunshine” by residents and staff alike. She took her sunshine to a later role with the Ward County Home Health services traveling directly to homes of those needing routine care. She then became her own boss by starting the Semmen Adult Foster Care Home business in their home in Ryder providing 24/7 care to residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s illness. She could be reached by calling 720-CARE. She cared and loved people when at times no one else would or could and put families at ease by simply treating residents with utmost dignity and respect of a full life no matter the stage of life. She operated her business for 22 years until a Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis forced her to retire.

She fought the cancer battle and did so honoring her dear friend, Maureen Hagen, who lost her own cancer battle in November 2017. Gayle had been a cancer survivor for the past 11 years.

Gayle was overjoyed to become a Grandma in 1996, when Jordan was born. A ritual began of taking her grandson to the Shrine Circus each year and buying him all the light up and noisy gadget toys she could only to drop him and his new toys off at home later, a ‘Grandma-move’ she enjoyed.

Her Grandma title grew with the arrival of Kacee Gayle in 2012. The Shrine Circus event each year continued but Grandma’s work also included making sure her granddaughter had plenty of dolls to dress up and play with and Gayle playing many hours along with her. When Kacee was learning to talk but could not say “Grandma” she instead would say “Gaga” and so began another nickname for Gayle.

Gayle was a fantastic cook and truly loved music, always appreciating the history of songs and the timing they played in events of her life. Country-western, gospel, and rock-n-roll genres were sure to be playing at high volumes and she took in live concerts with her family often. While music, food and family brought happiness, she lived her life being compassionate to so many beyond her immediate family and above all made a difference in the life she lived.

Gayle is survived by her husband of 51 years, Russell; her children, Chad (Mandy) Semmen, Minot, Amy (Lance) Makeeff, Minot, and Mickey Semmen, Ryder; her brother, Gary Sorenson, Fargo; her grandchildren, Jordan Semmen, Minot, Dahja Steed, Minot, and Kacee Gayle Makeeff, Minot; and her aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and her precious circle of friends in the area who truly blessed her with their friendship bond.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lynn Sorenson and Arlene Goodman.

Funeral: Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Ryder Gymnasium, Ryder.

Interment: Rosehill Cemetery, Ryder, ND.

Visitation: Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Memorials: are preferred to Ryder Cemetery Association, Ryder Community Center Association, or an organization of the donor’s choice.

The service will be video recorded and available for the public to view on Sunday, November 12. The video can be accessed by going to the Thompson-Larson Funeral home website: www.thompsonlarson.com

Those wishing to sign the online register and share memories may access the online obituaries section at (www.thompsonlarson.com).

Published by The Minot Daily News, November 8, 2023.