Jeanie Vanvig

Funeral Services for Jeanie Vanvig, 80, of Dickinson, ND, will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday, November 30, 2023 at the Medora Community Center with Pastor Dawn Busch officiating.  Burial will follow at the Medora Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 12:30 to 1:30 on Thursday at the Medora Community Center.

Jeanie passed away, Friday, November 24, 2023 at Hill Top Home of Comfort, Killdeer, ND.

Jeanie was born December 20, 1942, to Elmer and Sylvia (Bailey) Frampton. She grew up and attended school in Summersville, Missouri.  When she completed high school, she worked at a factory in Summersville sewing baseballs. Later, she joined her sister Audrey and her mother as she began working at Angelica Uniform Factory. During this time, she welcomed her first daughter Rhonda.

In 1964 she met Roger Vanvig, her future husband. Shortly after they met, he was deployed to Germany. The two stayed in contact by exchanging letters. When he returned in 1966, they united in marriage on April 23, 1967, on the Frampton homestead. Soon after they were married, they began their journey to North Dakota and when they arrived on May 10, 1967, they were welcomed by a harsh snowstorm.  This made Jeanie question her decision to move to North Dakota. Despite this, she was soon able to call it home.  They lived in Medora until August 1973 and during this time they welcomed their first daughter together, Rita, in June of 1968.

Their next adventure in life led them to Darby, Montana. They were able to call this home for only a short period of time as Jeanie was allergic to the pine trees. Because of this, they packed up and headed back to North Dakota, ending up in Fryburg where Roger began working at Hess. While in Fryburg, Jeanie watched Bill and Lana O’Brien’s children, beginning her long journey of babysitting, and always caring for all the neighborhood children.  During this time, they also welcomed their second daughter Renae in February 1974.

In 1980 they once again changed their lifestyle and moved to the Vanvig homestead ranch south of Medora. They began living their life in the beautiful Badlands. The whole community was always welcomed by Jeanie. She loved company, always welcomed everyone with southern hospitality and her amazing cooking and baking talents. Nobody will ever forget her famous fried chicken and gravy! In 2006 they sold the ranch and moved south of Dickinson.

Jeanie will be greatly missed by anyone she knew, as she was an amazing spouse, mother, grandmother, and friend.

Jeanie is survived by her husband Roger of 57 years, daughters Rhonda Lewellyn and Renae Praus, grandchildren Dylan (Kelsey) Lewellyn, Kendra (Bryan) Lewellyn, Megan Markuson, Taylor Praus and Shalee Praus. Great grandchildren Daedyn, Ayden, Davin, and Arya Lewellyn, sisters Delois and Sandra. Many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was proceeded in death by her parents Elmer and Sylvia, sister Audrey, brother Lloyd, daughter Rita, mother in law Shirley, father in law Muggs, brother in law Bill Vanvig.