Dr. Donald Vick, Professor Emeritus Dickinson State University,  age 85 passed away peacefully of lung cancer on Friday, May 22, 2020 at a Bottineau hospital. His service and inurnment will take place on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 2:00 pm at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan.

He was born on April 18, 1935 to Oscar and Jennie (Kvamme) Vick in Grand Forks.  He grew up around Mekinock and graduated from Gilby High School in 1953.  He went into the Air Force and served as Korean linguist in the Air Force Security Service (USAFSS).  In October of 1973, he married Gayle Frykman Thorsgaard and became and dad to her 4 year old daughter, Andrea.

Don attended Mayville State and received a BS, the University if Oklahoma in Norman for his masters  and then to Northern Colorado in Greeley for his Doctor of Education degree.  He started his 40 year teaching mathematics career in Niche Public Schools for 5 years.  Then on to Bottineau to the ND School of Forestry for 5 years, Dickinson State for 13 years, Minot State for 8 years and then back to Dickinson State where he taught part-time until he was 70.  He moved to Minot to be closer to his grandchildren and was a greeter at Walmart.  He returned to Bottineau in 2012 to retire, drink coffee with the vets, reading westerns fishing and enjoying his 2 great grandsons.

In Dickinson he played trumpet in the Elks Sod Busters Band, led the United Way for a year and supported the Blue Hawks and the Dem-NPL Party.  In 1995, he was the first recipient of the BN Faculty Achievement Award at Dickinson State.  He was proud of his Norwegian heritage and will be sadly missed by his family, friends colleagues and former students.

He is survived by his wife Gayle of 46 years, granddaughters, Ashley Getzlaff (Chas Merren) of Bottineau, Carmen Juarez (Miguel) of Ruso; grandson, Jamie Getzlaff of Granville; great grandsons, Logan Merren, Jalen Juarez.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Andrea Getzlaff, great grandson Andy Getzlaff, brother, Harris Vick and sister, Lenore (Ralph) Bushaw.

Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.  Friends may sign the online register book at www.nerofuneralhome.net.