Natalie Renee Hankel, 35, Max, went to her heavenly home, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015 after a very short battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her loving husband, parents, and pastor. Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 23rd, 2015 at 1:00 pm at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Max. Burial will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Douglas.

Visitation will be held on Thursday from 1 to 7pm at Our Savior's Church in Max with a prayer service starting at 7pm.

Natalie was born on December 12, 1979 in Minot, ND to Steve and Joanie (Kovar) Narum. Natalie's family moved to Douglas when she was in the 2nd grade. She attended Max Public Schools, graduating from Max High School in 1998. She was active in everything she could possibly fit in from sports to band, choir, honor society, plays, teaching Sunday school, and made many friends that she is still close to today.

Natalie studied hard and put endless energy into everything she took on. After graduating from Max High School as valedictorian, she went on to nursing school. She attended Moorhead Sate College, then Medcenter One School of Nursing, where she also excelled, graduating at the top her class in 2002.

Natalie married Colin Hankel on July 14, 2001 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Douglas. After Natalie finished nursing school, she and Colin decided to venture away from the area and moved to St. Cloud, MN where she worked at St. Cloud Hospital for 9 years. She and Colin built a home and started their family, having 3 beautiful daughters, Teigan Matea, Delaney Ryne, and Brynlee Grace.

Natalie and Colin decided to move back to Max where Colin started farming with his Dad, Warren. At that time Natalie decided to return to school to study anesthesia. It was a hard decision to have to be away from her family for the 28 month school, but together with the help of Colin and both of their parents, she once again succeeded, receiving her Master's Degree in Nurse Anesthesia, graduating from Texas Wesleyan University in December of 2013.

Natalie then began working at Trinity Health of Minot in January of 2014 and developed a relationship immediately with her new work family. She continued to be active in the Max community, again teaching Sunday school and coaching junior high basketball. She was also active in the Max Community Club and of course spending her most precious moments with Colin and their girls.

Natalie made so many good friends wherever she was in her life and remained friends when she moved on. She was so special to so many. She was very close to both of her sisters and helped Amanda get the daycare going in Max. She was very supportive of the daycare both for Amanda and for the community.

She was the best wife, daughter, mother, and friend, and will be missed by all. She lives on in our hearts and through her girls and everyone's lives she touched.

Natalie is survived by the love of her life for the past 21 years, Colin; daughters, Teigan, Delaney, and Brynlee, all of Max; parents, Steve and Joanie Narum, Douglas; sisters, Stacey (Josh) Lamy and their children Jackson and Ryder, Great Falls, MT, Amanda (Juan) Magallon and their children Gabe and Lily, Douglas; father and mother-in-law, Warren and Judy Hankel, Max; sisters-in-law, Karla Hankel, San Jose, CA, Denise (Chris) Krebsbach and their children Cade and Addison, Max; grandparents, Phyllis Narum, Douglas, Henry and Ardelle Kovar, Dickinson; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends too numerous to mention.

She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Hilbert Narum.