Vickie Lynn (Trautman) Gunsch was born to Harold and Mary (Mathias) Trautman October 10, 1958. She was raised on the family farm east of Jamestown with her brother Thomas. While she wanted to be a farmer it was not to be. She had several steers, horses while participating in the Stutsman County 4H program, loved animals and was active in farm life. After graduating from Jamestown High School in 1977 she received her Practical Nursing Degree from the North Dakota State School of Science and College Studies from the University of Mary in 1981. She then worked at the Harvey Hospital before getting her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing at the University of Mary in 1985 and starting her 30 year career as a critical care nurse at St. Alexius Medical Center, in Bismarck. She worked in Telemetry, Cardiac Cath Lab, and Radiology departments and was respected by her peers. She served on the North Dakota Board of Nursing from 1994 to 2002 and was honored to serve her profession.
On May 20, 1989, she married Michael Gunsch, and daughter Christiana was born March 6, 1990. She was actively involved in her family and raising several cats and a saltwater fish aquarium. Faith was important in her life and traveled twice to Israel, where on the second trip Vickie, Michael and Christi were rebaptized in the Jordan River and they were remarried at the wedding church in Cana. She and Christi also traveled together on a mission trip to Belize. Michael and Vickie traveled to Cabo San Lucas Mexico annually since 1993 and established many great friendships.
Earlier in life she enjoyed farming, downhill skiing, and bike riding, but that changed after retirement. At home she was always busy planting and caring for flowers, her garden, and the yard – it was the farmer in her. She actively researched her family’s ancestry, which allowed her to register her mom, herself, and daughter as members of the Daughters of the American Revolution – a special accomplishment.
Vickie’s passion was ownership and restoration of classic cars, specifically corvettes, her driver a 2004 was taken on several cross-country trips. Her first restoration was a 1952 Chevy Deluxe, followed by her 1958 Corvette. She recently purchased two Corvettes a 1966 to restore, and a 1982 collectors’ addition, her dream car. She was a member of the Corvettes of Dakota Territory, National Corvette Restorers Association, Rough Rider Chevy Club, North Star Lions and Germans from Russia Society.
Since retiring she suffered multiple medical issues and undergone numerous surgeries, the family has lost count. She always persevered through them with an attitude and smile that few could understand or believe was possible. The last was a rare infection that after four back surgeries took her physical strength, use of her legs, then her life – as her spirit, faith and medications were unable to overcome. She is now at peace, without pain and walking again with those that have gone before her.
She is survived by her husband Michael, daughter Christiana, Charlie (her cat), brother Tom (Jane) Trautman, and their family, sister in laws Vicki (Richard) Livesay, Susan (Rod) Richter and their families, and mother-in-law Lillian Gunsch, other cherished relatives too numerous to mention, and friends and families in the Corvettes of Dakota Territory and at Inspire Family Fellowship.
She is preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, and other family members. Memorials to Camp of the Cross, Garrison or Inspire Family Fellowship in Bismarck, are preferred over flowers.
Services will be held at Inspire Family Fellowship, Bismarck. The memorial service will be at 7 pm Thursday March 3rd and the funeral at 10 am Friday March 4th. Burial will be at the Highland Home Cemetery in Jamestown at a later date.
Eddy Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.