Vivian O. Gilbertson (Sinness)

Vivian O. Gilbertson, 83 of Devils Lake formerly of Churchs Ferry, ND passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Trinity Medical Center, Minot, ND with loving family at her side.

Funeral Services for Vivian will be held on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake with Reverend Jim Paulson officiating. Burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday, May 16, 2019 beginning at 5:00 p.m. with a time of prayer and sharing at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Friday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service.

Vivian Orpha Sinness was born August 20, 1935 to Oscar and Viola (Peterson) Sinness, in a small claim shack her Grandmother Petra Sabo homesteaded by Maddock, ND. She was raised in York and Maza, ND, graduating Salutatorian of her class in Churchs Ferry, ND in 1953. 

She earned her teaching certificate from Minot State College. She taught on year at rural Dry Lake Township School, which happened to be adjacent to her future love of her life.  His tractor would follow her along the road as she walked to school.  As she would say, “That 80 acres next to the school got cultivated a lot that spring!”

Vivian married Gerald Gilbertson on July 10, 1955 in Cando, ND and they lived on the Gilbertson family farm at Penn, ND. Vivian was a hard working farm wife who along with working side by side with her husband, raised chickens, cows, pigs, sheep and helped him at harvest.  She also tended a large garden and canned the produce, baking breads and sweets, making jellies, and lots of lefse in the fall.  She would sew clothes for herself and all her children.   As busy as she was raising “krops, kattle and kids”, Vivian was an avid quilter. In November of 1981, Vivian had a quilt show to display over thirty of the fifty quilts she had made. 

Vivian taught Sunday School at Chain Lakes Lutheran Church by Churchs Ferry and later at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Devils Lake. She was a 4-H leader for the Penn Juniorettes Club and was involved in Ladies Aid and Community Club.  Vivian was the clerk for many elections held at Grand Harbor School.  When the youngest child started school, she started work outside the home by cleaning other peoples’ houses. 

Vivian and Gerald moved to their current lake home at Six Mile Bay, where she loved sitting on her deck watching the birds in their feeders and tending her flowers.

Vivian was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother.

Vivian’s loving family include her husband of nearly 64 years, Gerald; five children Jerilynn Steffan, Devils Lake, Randy (Terri) Gilbertson, Fargo, ND, Jay (Kathy) Gilbertson, Michigan, ND, Val (Kevin) Smith, Devils Lake and Scott (Jo) Gilbertson also of Michigan; fourteen grandchildren Carrie Steffan, Tyler (Desiree) Steffan, Nicole (Griffin) Gessner, Erin (Ben) Erickstad, Caylie Gilbertson, Leland (Christine) Higginbotham, Luke Higginbotham, Brett Halvorson, Ben (Marissa) Halvorson, Marc (Amber) Strande, Eric, Alan, Marcus and Ty Gilbertson; six great grandchildren; siblings Don (Nadine) Sinness, Arvada, CO, Tom (Marty) Sinness, Tellico Plains, TN, Audrey Speed, Thornton, CO, Jim (Karen) Sinness, Cape Coral, FL and Robert Sinness, Longmont, CO and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Sylvia Helgeseth and Evelyn Christensen, brothers LeRoy Sinness and David Sinness and mother-in-law Helen Gilbertson.

Honorary Pallbearers will be all of Vivian’s grandchildren.