Carole Ann Wortman, 70

On the afternoon of July 30, 2026, Carole Ann Wortman walked out of her Garrison, Montana home, arm in arm with Jesus Christ, pain-free for the first time in nearly 30 years. Some of the pain Carole suffered was well-earned. Her theory in barrel racing was "don't slow down until you hear the boards cracking."

In addition to her love of barrel racing and rodeo, she loved animals of all kinds. Any animal that needed help, Carole would take in and care for. On one occasion, she took care of a stray horse that showed up at her place, badly cut up and barely able to walk. She spent over $3,000 on veterinary bills and countless hours over nearly a year nursing the horse back to health. She didn't do it for any reason other than that the horse needed help.

Carole was very proud of the quality of the Bord Collies and Great Pyrenees dogs she raised. Many of her lasting friendships came from working with the dogs.

Carole was born December 3, 1955, in Butte, Montana. She attended Longfellow Elementary, East Middle School, and graduated from Butte High School. She continued her education at Montana State University. While attending MSU, Carole was a member of the Ski Patrol. One of her scariest memories was when she went helicopter skiing. Carole spent several years working with the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce, organizing many events; one year, she was named the Whitehall Volunteer of the Year. She was instrumental in defeating I-122, a measure to shut down mining in Montana. Pegasus Gold hired her to travel to every fair and rodeo in Montana to oppose I-122.

She married Leonard Wortman on April 20, 1996. In 1998, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and the pain began. She had several surgeries to try to alleviate some of the pain. None of them helped a whole lot, but Carole came back from each one, working harder than ever to keep walking.

In addition to her husband Leonard, Carole is survived by her step-sons Bill, Shannon, and Dennis; several step-grandchildren; her brother William "Bill" (Adrienne) Miller; her sister Cheryll (George) Markins; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents William Frank and Edith "Edie" Miller.

A celebration of Carole's life will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in Boulder, Montana, in the rodeo arena at 1 PM. There will also be a special tribute to her during the in-county rodeo on the afternoon of Thursday, August 20th.