Barbara L. Serumgard Krayk

BARBARA SERUMGARD KRAYK

Barbara Serumgard Krayk, 85, passed away Saturday, August 23, 2025 in the loving care of family and hospice in Devils Lake, ND after a long and courageous battle with Parkinsons’ disease.

Barbara was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN to parents Gardys and Thomas McNaughton, along with her sister Bonnie McNaughton.

She married Robert (Bob) Serumgard in 1962 and travelled with him as a Navy officer’s wife, living in Washington DC and Hawaii. Bob, a graduate of Yale, was Lt Commander in the Naval Reserves and Vice President of the Seattle First National Bank. They settled down in Seattle, Washington and had two sons, Robert Thomas Serumgard “Tom,” and Mark Porter Serumgard.

After Bob died in a motor vehicle accident in 1979 at age 38, Barbara raised the boys on her own in Seattle. She had frequent visits to her sister, Bonnie McNaughton, in Bear Valley, CA, and met her second husband, Stefan Krayk during one of those visits. Barbara and Stefan Krayk married in 1984. They made their home in California initially and had many good years together. Stefan was a concert violinist and co-founder of the Santa Barbara symphony as well as a professor emeritus at the University of California-Santa Barbara. He also travelled with the Paganni Quartet.

In 1995 Barbara and Stefan moved to Devils Lake, ND, where her son Tom lived, and other family for support as Stefan’s health declined. Not long after, Barbara also moved her parents to Devils Lake, and she was a caretaker for Stefan and her parents for a number of years until they passed.

Barbara had several professions over the years, but loved being a stay-at-home mom most of all. In her younger years she worked as a special education teacher and managed an orthopedic office. In later years, she owned and managed rental houses in Devils Lake.

Barbara was an incredibly talented sculptor. As a member of the Santa Barbara Sculptors Guild, she worked with wood and stone and has made many beautiful pieces over the years. In later years, she became interested in “healing touch” and became a reiki practitioner. She facilitated healing of many friends and family.

During her time in Devils Lake, Barbara was very active in the community. She was president of Lake Region Pioneer Daughters and managed the Pioneer Daughters Museum at the Ft. Totten Historic Site. She was an active member of the Lake Region Concert Association, the Devils Lake Shakespeare Club, and on the board of the Lake Region Heritage Center. She was also a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as a part of the Westminster Presbyterian Prayer Shawl Ministry.

A passion of Barbara’s was gardening at the Serumgard family farm. She lovingly tended the garden to perfection, and at harvest time she canned and freeze dried everything to share with family. She was a great cook, and found many interesting ways to use zucchini, which grows very well in North Dakota.

Even with all the volunteering, Barbara’s number one joy was spending time with her grandchildren. She was very skilled with knitting & sewing, and made them all their hats, mittens, and scarves. Her grandchildren have so many treasured items in all different sizes and colors. She encouraged creative play and took turns with the other grandparents for rides to school and after-school time for many years, for all three grandchildren.

Barbara touched a lot of lives and she will forever live on in our hearts. She is survived by sister Bonnie McNaughton of Hermosa Beach, CA, sons Tom (Kristi) Serumgard of Devils Lake, Mark (Jen) Serumgard of Quincy, CA, and grandchildren Brady (Jasper) Serumgard of Quincy, CA, Robby Serumgard of Quincy CA, and Isabelle Serumgard of Devils Lake.

The family would like to thank everyone who helped care for Barbara over the past few years. Many thanks to Peggy Nicholls, June Kraft, Kathy Riggin, and Jeff Murphy, the Halbach, Mead and Hultgren families, the staff at Towner County Medical Center, the staff at CHI in Devils Lake, the staff at Altru in Grand Forks, the staff at Eventide Lake Country Manor, the staff at Eventide Heartland Care Center, and HIA Hospice (formerly Red River Valley Hospice). If we have forgotten anyone please forgive us. So many people helped us over the years, and we apologize if we missed anyone.

Barbara’s wishes were to be cremated. A small family graveside service will be held at a later date.

Barbara is in the care of the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake