Mark Vangsnes
Sept. 14, 1949 – May 15, 2022
On May 15th, 2022, at
the age of 72, faith be-
came 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 proud-
ly sported the green and
yellow gear of “The Bis-
on” and true to his farm-
ing roots, “John Deere.”
Mark joined the
“Hotshots” crew with the
U.S. Fire Service to pay
his way through school.
This work would be sym-
bolic of the mountains
Mark would ascend later
in his life and the fiery tri-
als he would face. While
hospitalized in 1973, he
met a pretty parish worker
who was doing visita-
tions, 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 fa-
ther Joel passed away in
1985. In 1998, they en-
tered 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 chil-
dren 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 ad-
venturous, 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! Go-
ing 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 ex-
emplified during the near
decade he spent caring for
Jeremy. This sacrifice
came at the cost of his
own health and the care-
giver became the patient
as dementia claimed his
body and mind. While it
devoured many things, it
never took away his iden-
tity. 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 en-
dearing 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; chil-
dren, 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; si-
blings, 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!