Carol Senya Hastings Rohrer

Carol Senya Hastings Rohrer flew home to Heaven in the early daylight hours of July 9, 2025. Carol’s gentle smile and unique ability to really listen to you led to a deep love for her by family and friends.

Born to Hugh Sr. and Lempi (Ranta) Hastings in Great Falls on February 23, 1936, Carol went home to the Hastings family homestead on top of Gore Hill. When the family homestead land was needed to expand the Gore Field Air Base in WWII, the family moved to Truly, MT, on the Smith River southwest of Great Falls.

Carol attended a one-room schoolhouse at Truly with her siblings and neighboring children and later attended Cascade High School graduating in 1954.

While walking from downtown Great Falls to the Montana State Fair in 1950, Carol accepted a ride on the back of a Harley motorcycle driven by Douglas Rohrer from Glasgow. A long-distance friendship started with Doug and the two reconnected in Missoula where they attended the University of Montana. Their friendship quickly grew into a courtship, and they were married on September 2, 1956.

The early days of Carol’s married life saw her traveling to road construction job sites in South Dakota and southeast Montana while living in a small travel trailer with Doug and her first three sons. With equipment experience under Doug’s belt, Doug and Carol started a land leveling business and moved back to Truly where they brought home their daughter while searching for a place of their own in the Sun River valley.

They purchased The Blossom place on Highway 200 in Fort Shaw, built a new home, welcomed their fourth son, and began their lifelong work in land leveling, farming, and ranching. Carol helped make these endeavors successful through careful bookkeeping, wise counsel and working side-by-side with Doug while raising 5 children all born within 8 years.

As the family grew, Carol not only operated every piece of equipment on their place, but she also learned to fly their airplane and logged many hours flying solo around the state as well as passing her written pilot test. Throughout these busy years, Carol was a Cub Scout leader, local Election Judge, and belonged to several organizations including the Fort Shaw Homemakers and the Paris Gibson Antique Club.

Carol was truly thrilled when her 14 grandchildren and later 20 great- grandchildren came into her life. She left this world learning about her upcoming 21st great-grandchild. Known as the “Cookie Grandma” by her local grandchildren, Carol was able to quickly put together amazing meals for hungry kids, grandkids, and her husband. Carol, a faithful woman, was incredibly generous, patient, and kind to her family, friends, and those she had just met. She liked traveling and enjoyed work and living life – a great recipe for over 68 years of marriage.

Carol is survived by the love of her life, Doug Rohrer; sons, Mike (Dyann) Rohrer of Billings, Ken (Marlene) Rohrer of Volborg, Bruce (Rene) Rohrer of Great Falls, Lynn Rohrer of Fort Shaw, and Keith (Jennifer) Rohrer of Fort Shaw; sisters, Judy (Rex) Rieke of Garrison and Gayle (Carl) Heishman of Great Falls; sister-in-law, Alana Hastings; and son-in-law, Ted Manley. Those who greeted her on the other side include her parents; brother, Hugh Hastings, Jr.; sister, Sharon (Don) Creveling; and grandson, Alex Rohrer.

Special thanks to friends, Janet Lawrence, Amy Steinke, Lisa Peterson, and the Benefis Peace Hospice nurses, CNAs, and volunteers who assisted Carol in her later days. Memorial services will be held when Doug joins Carol.