Mark Joel Vangsnes

On May 15th, 2022, at the age of 72, faith became sight for Mark Joel Vangsnes. At his death, Mark was surrounded by his family at his residence, “The Ranch”, in Spartanburg, SC. Mark was born on September 14, 1949, in Rugby, ND. He graduated from Rugby High School in 1967. He went on to attend NDSU in Fargo, ND. Until the day he died, Mark proudly sported the green and yellow gear of “The Bison” and true to his farming roots, “John Deere.” Mark joined the “Hotshots” crew with the U.S. Fire Service to pay his way through school. This work would be symbolic of the mountains Mark would ascend later in his life and the fiery trials he would face. While hospitalized in 1973, he met a pretty parish worker who was doing visitations, Kathy Ostrem. The two married on July 14, 1973. Sensing the call to overseas missions, they spent 3 years in Bible School with New Tribes Missions and were called to Senegal where they faithfully served until 1980. Mark took over the family farm after his father Joel passed away in 1985. In 1998, they entered a second phase of their life and moved to South Carolina where he lived out the rest of his life.

Mark would often tell people that his greatest joy in life was the miracle that all 6 of his children walked with the Lord. Mark loved all of his children and his wife deeply. If there was a track meet or a football game, dad was always there, holding a camcorder in one hand and a bag of popcorn in the other. He had an adventurous, gentle spirit that loved quality time with his family, especially weekend trips to the mountains. He loved working with his hands and was known to be able to fix anything—and there was never a shortage of things breaking down! Going to church was never a duty for Mark but a delightful necessity. Mark embodied for his family a “long obedience in the same direction” as he faithfully followed Christ, even in the midst of life’s hardest circumstances.

His greatest trial came in 2009 when 3 of his sons were involved in a horrific car accident. Mark dropped everything and cared sacrificially for one of his sons for 9 years. He would often remind each child that he would have laid down his life, had it happened to any of them. His life’s mantra, “Give it all you got”, was never better exemplified during the near decade he spent caring for Jeremy. This sacrifice came at the cost of his own health and the caregiver became the patient as dementia claimed his body and mind. While it devoured many things, it never took away his identity. Near the end of his life, he woke up one morning and profoundly exclaimed, “I am a child of the King.” His dear wife and children embodied his witness and faithfully cared for him until the end, as he would have done for any of them. Mark leaves behind an ethos of perseverance, gentleness, a quiet strength, commitment to family, and love for God and neighbor. All of this was wrapped up in an endearing smile with ears eager to listen and hands ready to serve. We love you, dad.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Kathleen Louise Vangsnes; children, Travis Vangsnes (Jessica), Stephanie Young (Jeff), Daniel Vangsnes (Ginny), Jeremy Vangsnes, Ryan Vangsnes (Mallory), and Brett Vangsnes (Heidi); grandchildren, Jay, Dre, Joelle, Asher, Dakota, Luke, Natalie, Grayson, Levi, Sayge, Nora, Hudson, Oliver, Wilder, Davy, Sybil, Leif, Archie, and Barrett; siblings, Judy Prentice, Michael Vangsnes, and Bruce Vangsnes; mother and father-in-law, Harold and Marlys Ostrem. He was predeceased by his parents, Joel and Delores Vangsnes. Mark’s ashes will eventually be spread and memorialized with immediate family at Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Rugby, ND. Soli Deo Gloria!