Vivian “Vivie” “Viv” June Levenske

Vivian “Vivie” “Viv” June Levenske
6/9/43 – 5/4/25 (81)
Vivie passed away peacefully from complications of Lymphoma treatment, in Mesa, AZ with her children by her side.
Viv was born in Madelia, MN. She grew up on a farm in Bernadotte, MN with her parents, Kenneth and Helen Knutson and her two brothers Martin and Wayne. Tragically Wayne died when he was just seven years old from an accident. Viv graduated from Winthrop High School and moved to the “Big City” where she attended Augsburg College studying mathematics. There at Augsburg is where she met Joey, her life-long friend. Together they travelled to Europe one Summer, hitchhiking through Germany until they got to Munich where they bought a Volkswagen and proceeded to travel to Italy, Greece, the Mykonos Islands and then to France where they were unfortunately in a car accident and spent three days in the hospital. With no car and no money, they returned to the US but that was their trip of lifetime!
After returning from Europe, she was introduced to a character by the name of Jerry Levenkse and as she would say “against all odds, a Pollock and Norwegian got married”. It was a match made in Heaven, a silly Pollock and a stubborn Norwegian.
They lived in Cottage Grove, MN for a short time and while there they had their first kid, James Jeffery “J.J.” After that they moved to Hector, MN where Jerry started his professional career in the telephone business and where they met friends that would be in their lives forever. It was also there they welcomed their daughter, Misty Dawn.
In 1979, the family moved to Durand, WI for Jerry’s new position at Nelson Telephone. Durand has been “home” to Viv ever since. Meeting many, many friends along the way through church, bible studies, school volunteering, and ladies golf leagues. She always seemed to have something going on or somewhere to get to.
As they became empty-nesters, Viv and Jer built a house outside of Durand where she had all the space she wanted to plant and tend to as many plants as her heart desired… and there were a lot! Thank goodness that one of her hobbies were pruning and pulling weeds! She liked it so much you could find Viv in the flower beds, around town, pulling weeds for hours. The next time you see an obvious weed, go ahead and pull it, she would love it and give off her signature laugh.
Starting in 2002, Jerry and she would winter every year in Mesa, AZ. She loved the warmth of the sunshine, playing cards and Scrabble with her friends and quilting with her church ladies.
Vivie had many things that brought her joy, hopefully a few of these you got to enjoy with her at some point. Bible studies, golfing, sitting in the sun, gardening, tending to her plants, playing cards (Hand & Foot was her favorite), doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles (probably thousands), watching Young & the Restless (her story!), Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune (often getting the puzzles before the contestants), Survivor, NFL football (Packers of course!) and lots of PGA golf.
Vivie is survived by her son J.J. (Kelli) her daughter Misty (Jason Peterson) her grandson’s Coltan (22), Carter (17) and Sawyer (13), brother-in-law Steve and sister-in-law Margie, nieces and nephews and her dear friend Joey Halverson. She is preceded in death by her loving husband Jerry, her parents, her brothers, brothers-in-law Larry and Bobby, sister-in-law Pat, her dear friend Sadie May Hagness and her poodles Precious and Cheri.
Faith was the beacon of Viv’s life and now she is with her Savior Lord Jesus Christ, her husband that she said she “missed him but knew he was in a better place” and now they are reunited…with some welcomed banter from Jerry. She will also be welcomed by the many friends that she has lost along the way.
Per her request there will not be a funeral service or celebration but if you would like to honor Vivie, please donate to one of her favorite charities or her churches: St. Jude, Shriners, Feed the Hungry, ASPCA, Faith Lutheran in Durand or Our Saviors in Mesa.
Thank you to all for the love and support that you gave to Viv, she very much appreciated it, as do we! A special thanks to the Lund Home and their amazing staff and her friends in AZ that helped out this Winter.
Vivie was a smart, beautiful, generous, frugal, stubborn, unique and caring woman. She will be missed here on Earth, but Heaven got a good one and with that…cue the laugh and a “Oh you are so cute!”