Margaret B. “McGee” Vansickel, age 96, of Spearfish, formerly of Opal, passed away Monday, October 23, 2023, at Spearfish Canyon Healthcare.
Visitation for Margaret will be 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, with a rosary at 6 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, SD.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rapid City. Interment will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
Margaret Bernice (Schuelke) Vansickel was born September 24, 1927, on a farm near Mud Butte, SD, to Albert and Elizabeth (Peregrine) Schuelke. She was 7th child and the last surviving of the 13 children. She was raised on a ranch near Mud Butte, where she attended Eagle School. She then moved to Spearfish to attend high school, before going to Sturgis High School, where she graduated. She met Norman Vansickel and they were married March 22, 1947, at Sturgis, SD. To this marriage there were 4 children. Billy Dean, Richard Lee, Carmen Lynn, and Nina Rae. They spent most of their years together ranching at Opal before moving to Spearfish when they retired from the ranch.
She enjoyed helping put a Faith, SD, book together to help preserve history. Family history was very important to her. She had many hobbies throughout her life. She enjoyed painting pictures, quilting, embroidering, gardening, but there was nothing on earth she loved more than family and friends. She loved having family dinners and baking cookies so when someone stopped, they could have cookies and coffee together. She enjoyed going to the Spearfish Senior Center to line dance, but when that got too hard to do that, she joined the chorus group there and sang her little heart out.
Survivors include her daughters; Carmen (John) Heidler, and Nina Vansickel; daughter-in-law, Bev Christofferson; grandchildren, Deanna (Daniel) Staudt, Billy (Emily Wang) Vansickel, Bret Vansickel, Corky (Sharon) Heidler, Kelli (Kevin) Bebout, Chip (Mindy) Heidler, O.J. (Leah) Heidler, Erika (Shawn) Brightman, and Chance (Merretta) Anderson; great grandchildren, Mikayla Enspam , Shanell & Madalyn Peterson, Brittany (Nate) Christopherson, Jessica Vansickel (Shad) Green, Kayla Heidzig (Ryan Grant), Kolt (Dacia)Vansickel, Noah Hannah, Austin (Kelsey) Keffeler, Shania (Chance) Jensen, Peyton Smith, Alexis, Corbett, Harlie Jo, Braylie, Ryden, Tryen Heidler. Toby, Dane, & Charlie Heidzig, Akira Vansickel, Carson, Ashlynn Reed, Kashton Green, Kolt Vansickel, Gus and Hank Anderson; lots and lots of nieces and nephews. Some very special people in her life that have been there for her, Gary and Ardy Richards, Jody Simons, and Dana Eberhard.
Margaret was preceded in death; by her parents, Albert and Elizabeth; husband, Norman; two sons, Bill, and Dick; grandchildren; Tyler Anderson, Shawna Vansickel, and Shane Vansickel; great-grandchildren, Aiden, and Billy, her mother and father-in-law, Oscar and Juanita Vansickel; along with her 12 siblings.
A memorial has been established to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rapid City and the Spearfish Senior Center.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.kinkadefunerals.com<http://www.kinkadefunerals.com
