Vivian Mae Stephanie, 84, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on June 6, 2021 at Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point, Montana, after a brief illness.
Vivian was born on October 28, 1936 in Poplar, Montana to Oscar and Elizabeth (Habben) Dahlberg. She attended school at the Anderson School north of Brockton, and when the family moved into Poplar, she attended Poplar Public School through the 8 th grade.
She married Matt Stephanie on December 10, 1953 in Havre, Montana at the First Lutheran Church. Through this union, they had four children, Marvin, Darrell, Bonnie, and Gay. They also had two more children who they lost at birth, Thomas and Mary. They were married for 35 years before Matt passed away on May 8, 1989.
Vivian was a very hard and trustworthy worker her whole life. She kept busy by cleaning houses and ironing clothes for many families in Poplar and surrounding areas and worked many years on the weekends at the American Legion Club. However, Vivian’s true calling was babysitting children for over 50 years in her tidy house that each kid called their second home.
She began her babysitting career in the late 1960’s, starting with Fred and Violet Sayers’ two boys, Glenn (Pumpkin) and Baby Boo; and Ronnie and Gemma Smith’s three boys, Craig, Doug and Danny Smith. These five boys were the start of thousands of children passing through “Grandma Viv’s” loving door.
Vivian was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Matt; son, Thomas; daughter, Mary; sisters-in-law, Gay Dahlberg and Jan Dahlberg; sisters, Elsie Martin and Doris Bahner; and nephew, Steve Dethman.
Vivian is survived by her sons, Marvin and Darrell, both of Poplar, MT; her daughters, Bonnie (Dennis) Paige, of Poway, CA, and Gay (Brian) Pennington, of Billings, MT; three grandsons, Carl (Michelle) Paulson, of Billings, MT, Rodney (Nicole) Paulson, of Wolf Point, MT; and Matt Paulson, of Poplar, MT; two granddaughters, Nicole (Casey) Cotton, of Poway, CA; and Kristana (Richard) Luther, of Mira Mesa, CA; twelve great-grandkids, Jacob and Zachary Cotton; Brody and Isla Paulson; McKinlee, Iyerlee, Kye, and Kwynn Paulson, Owen and Lottie Paulson; Joseph and Elizabeth Luther.
She is also survived by two brothers, Don Dahlberg and family and Darrell (Josie) Dahlberg, both north of Brockton, MT; nieces, Donna Dethman, Linda Good, Kathy and Andrea Martin, Deanna Dahlberg and family, Darci (Ken) Kjos and girls, Lori (Curry) and Channing Kirn; nephews, Jim (Nannette) and Katlyn Dahlberg, Ricky (Wendy) Dahlberg and girls, and Darren Dahlberg; along with numerous cousins, great-nieces, and great nephews.