Paulette Haupt Tobin

Paulette Haupt Tobin, 63, Grand Forks, died Thursday, May 30, 2019 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks.

Paulette Ann Haupt was born July 14, 1955, in Eureka, S.D., to Emanuel Leonard and Wilma (Beck) Haupt and grew up on a farm 12 miles northeast of Eureka. She attended Detmold No. 3 country school for four years until it closed. She completed her education in Eureka, graduating from Eureka High School in 1973. She attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. While attending college she had a tenure as editor in chief of the Collegian. Her first job was as editor of the Wells County Free Press, Fessenden, N.D., and then the Harvey (N.D.) Herald, from 1977 to 1979, when both newspapers were owned by the Farrington family.

She began working at the Mitchell (S.D.) Daily Republic under Dave Kranz. During that time, she covered the mayoral race of Paul Tobin where she met his eldest son, Mark. They fell in love and married on Oct. 11, 1980. They lived in Mitchell and then briefly in Huron, S.D., during which time she worked for The Associated Press in Sioux Falls. Mark and Paulette moved to Omaha in 1984 and there they celebrated the birth of their daughter, Emily Frances on April 21^st. The following year Paulette began working for The Associated Press in Omaha. She was employed there until 1987, when they moved to Rapid City, S.D. She was hired by the Rapid City Journal and covered city government for six years during the Mayor Keith Carlyle administration.

Because of her husband’s job with the Federal Aviation Administration, they moved to Grand Forks, N.D. in 1993. She worked as a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald, starting as the ‘cops and courts’ reporter from 1993-1994, then taking four years off. She spent this time gardening, travelling to visit friends and family and driving her adolescent daughter Emily to 8 million assorted activities.

Paulette eventually returned to journalism at the Herald to cover K-12 education, work with “Newspapers in education” and also to establish the Teen Page. She coordinated this program for seven years, working with and getting to know many smart and wonderful young people in the community. Teen page alumni, Ashley (Kuntz) Wait shared a memory online, “She was an inspiration to me as a young girl who dreamed of having an article published in the local newspaper. She worked fiercely to make those dreams come true for many Grand Forks teenagers.” 

Paulette eventually covered arts and entertainment for the Herald. She retired in May 2013. She had many fun, talented and wonderful colleagues over the years.

Paulette liked art and music and enjoyed and appreciated the arts in Grand Forks and elsewhere. She loved visiting art galleries and museums. She loved books, libraries and old movies. She was proud of her Germans-from-Russia heritage and her small-town rural upbringing, and especially proud of her family. She cherished her friends, especially her fellow 1973 graduates of EHS. She was known as the “matriarch of her class.” She planned several school and family reunions. For years, she maintained a Class of 1973 website in which she shared many memories of growing up on the farm and in Eureka.

In 2014 she had a kidney removed due to cancer and six months later began kidney dialysis. Thanks to her husband, friends and family, and to good nurses and doctors, she continued to enjoy a good quality of life.

She loved driving the Dakotas. Her favorite drive was Highway 44 east from Rapid City through the Badlands to the grasslands and then south into the Sandhills of Nebraska. She was raised in the Lutheran Church and enjoyed reading the Bible. All her life she sought the peace that passes all understanding. Her last wish was to be cremated and buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery next to the gravesites of her parents and paternal and maternal grandparents. Her family will gladly honor this wish. She will find her eternal peace and rest on the prairie of her childhood.

Survivors include: Husband,  Mark Tobin; Daughter,  Emily (Tyler) Tupa; Granddaughter, Julia Tupa and baby girl Tupa due in October;  Siblings, June (Chuck) Pariano, Gerald (Patty) Haupt, and David (Denise) Haupt; Sisters in-law, Paula (Tom) Hunstad, Sue (Phil) Collins; Brothers-in-law, John (Becca) Tobin, Michael Tobin, Matthew (Betsy) Tobin, Daniel (Jill) Tobin, Steven Tobin;  Haupt nieces and nephews,  Lori Haupt, Clayton (Kathy) Haupt, Shandra (Troy) Bergt, Brittany Haupt, Brant Haupt, Regina (Travis) Kruger; Tobin nieces and nephews, Briana (Jason) Bales, Kyle Tobin, Heather (Brad) Bird, Micky (Mark) Oulette, Pat (Tanya) Bueltel, Katie (Zach) Nebben, Andrew Hunstad, Pete Hunstad, Jacqson (Melissa) Collins, Ryan Collins, Josh (Heidi) Tobin, Courtney Tobin, Kelsey Tobin, Haley Tobin, Trevor Tobin, Tessa Tobin; 18 great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father;  Her mother and father-in-law, Paul and Shirley Tobin; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Betsy and Jim Bueltel; her brother-in-law, David Tobin; an infant sister-in-law, Mary Priscilla Tobin.

Funeral services will be Tuesday June 4^, 2019 at 11:00  am at Calvary Lutheran Church, 1405 S. 9^th street in Grand Forks.