Carmen Rystad, 46, passed away peacefully/quietly in her sleep on Friday, January 30, 2026 at her residence near Oklee, MN due to health-related issues.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM with a funeral service at 2:00 PM on Saturday February 7, 2026 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Burial will be at Salem Cemetery at a later date.

Carmen Jodelle Rystad was born October 12, 1979, in Thief River Falls, MN the daughter of Ordean and Phyllis (Westlake) Rystad. She was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Oklee and confirmed at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, rural Oklee. She graduated from Oklee High School in 1998. After graduating high school, Carmen attended Central Lakes College in Brainerd, MN.

Carmen worked for a time at the Credit Union in Brooks, MN before moving on to the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office where she worked as a dispatcher for several years. Although Carmen loved her job at the sheriff’s office, it was while working there that the long journey with her health problems began, causing the need for her to quit.

In December 2003, Carmen’s son, Grayson Ordean Rystad was born. In her dad’s honor, she gave her son her dad’s name. Carmen was always a daddy’s girl, and giving her son his name just deepened the bond between them.

On October 9, 2019, Carmen was united in marriage to Patrick Salentiny. They made their home on the farm north of Oklee.

Carmen always felt that her greatest accomplishment was having her son grow into a responsible young man. This, along with her marriage and years spent with Patrick, is what made her the happiest.

Carmen is survived by her son, Grayson Rystad of Oklee, MN, her husband, Patrick Salentiny of Oklee, her mother, Phyllis Rystad of Oklee, her brother, Justin (Cindy) Rystad of Oklee, and her nephew, Dawson Rystad and niece, Payton Rystad, both of Oklee. She is also survived by aunts, Ruthella Austad of Nashwauk, MN, Myonne Sanders of Spring, TX, Elaine Boardman of Poynette, WI, Mary Beth Westlake of Plummer, MN, and Diane Westlake of Moorhead, MN along with many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ordean, grandparents, Olaf and Hazel Rystad, and John and Ruby Westlake, uncles Orlando Rystad, Ole, George, Charlie, Roy, and Lewie Westlake, and aunts Annie Van Den Einde and Nellie Galley.