Vickie Lynn Buskirk

Vickie L. Buskirk, 68, Fargo, ND, died Wednesday, May 18, 2016 in her home surrounded by her family, under the care of Hospice of Red River Valley.

Vickie L. Buskirk was born on February 9, 1948 to Alvin and DeLois (Nelson) Galow in Cando, ND. She grew up and attended school in Bisbee, ND, graduating from Bisbee High School in 1966. Vickie married her high school sweetheart, Larry Buskirk on April 1, 1969, in Bisbee, ND. They had three children, Kyle (1971), Heidi (1973), and Michael (1975).

Vickie’s education continued at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in December 1971. Her nursing career began in Cando, ND at Towner County Medical Center in 1971. She continued on with her nursing career at Mercy Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), when she moved to Devils Lake, ND in 1978. Her husband’s career took them to Superior, WI in 1979 and she worked at Superior Memorial Hospital in the ICU until moving to Fargo, ND with her family in 1981. While living in Fargo, she worked at Dakota Hospital, as an ICU nurse until becoming the Assistant Director of ICU and CCU (Coronary Care Unit) at Dakota Hospital in 1983. One of her many accomplishments was when she was promoted, in 1989, to Director of ICU/CCU/ and Telemetry Unit. In 1994 Vickie and Larry moved back to her home area of Cando, ND and she became the Director of Nursing (DON) at Towner County Medical Center, where her career originally started in Nursing back in 1971 (23 years prior).

She always enjoyed getting back to her “home area” of Cando and living closer to her younger sister Valerie (David) Dennis and her baby brother Tony (Lynette) Galow; as well as her parents. She continued on as DON in Cando until she accepted an offer to further her education as a Physician’s Assistant (PA); returning to UND where she obtained her degree in 1999. Her PA career began in Cando and continued at the Cardiology Department of MeritCare, Fargo, until she retired in 2010.

Family and friends were very important to Vickie. She loved spending weekends at the lake, shopping, scrapbooking, playing with her grandchildren: Erika (18), Liberty (13), Landon (8), and Kael (6) and creating memories to pass down for generations to come. She also enjoyed playing Bingo and going to the casino.

Vickie is survived by her husband, Larry, and children, Kyle (Kersten) Buskirk, Richville, MN; Heidi (Cody) Ogaard, West Fargo, ND; and Michael (Karla) Buskirk, West Fargo, ND; Grandchildren, Erika, Liberty, and Landon Ogaard and Kael Buskirk; Sister, Valerie (David) Dennis, Cando, ND; Brother Tony (Lynette) Galow, Bisbee, ND; Sister-in-laws, Ann Hanson (Robb Smith), Phoenix, AZ; and LaDonna Buskirk, San Diego, CA; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alvin and DeLois Galow, and brother-in-law, Miles Buskirk.