Kayla Dawn Erickson passed away peacefully at home in her sleep the morning of January 2, 2026.
Kayla was born in 1983, to Doreen Erickson in Plentywood, Montana. Kayla’s life was blessed with three younger siblings: Michelle Krosbakken, Krista (Krosbakken) Schneider, and Jameson Krosbakken. Doreen married Mike Krosbakken, her longtime partner. They lived near Medicine Lake during Kayla’s childhood. Kayla grew up surrounded by family and a large extended family that loved and supported her. She has a special love for all of her family.
Kayla attended Medicine Lake’s K-12 school; she was proud to be a Honker. She often talked about her classmates that she grew up with, most of them attending school together from Kindergarten through high school graduation. Kayla spent her senior year of high school with her grandparents, Alice and Dennis Erickson, on the family farm. Kayla loved the family farm and all it represented. She reminisced about everything from taking the prairie trails to Brush Lake to getting in trouble for letting the pigs out. Upon high school graduation in 2001, Kayla moved to Bozeman, Montana to study Architecture at MSU. She later switched majors to Kinesiology. During her college years, Kayla worked for campus facilities and got to attend many great concerts, something that she always loved. Before finishing college, Kayla moved to Minot, ND. Kayla started her career in healthcare as a Behavioral Tech while there. In 2005, she got the opportunity to work as a Scrub Tech in Labor and Delivery back in Bozeman. Labor was a perfect fit for Kayla and she flourished there. She made many lifelong friends and poured her heart into that unit. Kayla was a master of understanding process and organization. She later served as the Unit Clerk and even put her architecture background to work to aid in the design of a major remodel. Although Labor was home, Kayla often would work in other parts of the hospital part time. She did stints in both Family Medicine and in The Cancer Center. In 2025, she joined Billings Clinic OB/GYN as a medical assistant.
In 2006, Kayla met Terry Moltzan through mutual friends. They fell in love and on July 18th, 2008, Kayla and Terry were blessed with their son, Jack Moltzan, fulfilling Kayla’s desire to be a mother. Terry and Kayla wed on Jan. 1, 2011.
Kayla brought an abundance of love, patience, understanding and kindness to her roles of mother and wife. Kayla enjoyed vacations, concerts, roadtrips, board games, card games and generally being silly and having fun. Kayla had many artsy and creative hobbies. Between crafting, home decor, designing houses in The Sims, recreating recipes from scratch, and thrifting a good bargain she was always doing something. Kayla spent numerous hours crocheting both alone and with her friends at “Stitch and Bitch” sessions. She especially enjoyed making hats for the newborn babies in the hospital nursery.
Kayla was preceded in death by parents, Mike and Doreen Krosbakken; and Grandparents, Dennis and Alice Erickson.
Kayla is survived by husband, Terry Moltzan; son, Jack Moltzan; sisters, Krista Schneider and Michelle Krosbakken; brother, Jameson Krosbakken; and godmother, Myrna Kampen.
Memorials can be made to Planned Parenthood or the Gallatin Valley Food Bank.
A Celebration of Life will be held this summer.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
