Kathryn Anne (Margach) Vinje

Kathryn Vinje was young at heart throughout her life. She was always open to new experiences and new adventures. Kathryn was clever, quick-thinking, and a good listener. Perhaps more importantly, she was one of those people who are genuinely kind and warm. This opened a world of friendship to her.

Kathryn was born in Grandin, ND on January 13, 1941, to William Margach and Alice Rosenau. While in high school, she met David, the love of her life and partner in her many adventures for the next 45 years.

Kathryn got her degree from NDSU and worked as a research assistant at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. There she and David had their first son, William. They settled in Tacoma, Washington where a second son, Nicholas, was born. She raised her boys, painted, and engaged in a host of creative hobbies. When the boys were teenagers, she went back to work as a real estate agent. She enjoyed the work and always strived to match her clients with the perfect home.

David and Kathryn appreciated new experiences and took great joy in discovering new places and people. They traveled throughout the world, visiting every continent except Antarctica. When Kathryn and David traveled, they always preferred to explore on their own rather than take a guided tour. She loved to experience new customs and cultures, but what she really enjoyed was meeting new people, young and old, from around the world. She would listen and smile and soon they would be talking and smiling too.

Kathryn always had a passion for “treasure” hunting. Her car rarely passed a thrift store, garage sale, or flea market without making at least a quick stop. She knew the value of antiques, but it was often the small item that caught her eye just because she liked it. She found great relics in all kinds of fascinating places. Keepsakes from across the world came to fill her house but for Kathryn the thrill of the hunt was more important than the actual items. On more than one occasion, little kids drank juice from expensive china because Kathryn trusted the young souls and knew that teatime was a classy event. She instilled this love of seeking and collecting in both her sons and her collected library and treasures are still valued.

After their retirement, Kathryn and David moved back to North Dakota. They bought the old Bell farmstead and helped Nick turn it into his current home. There Kathryn had the whole farm as her creative space. She started a fine stand of trees in a new rock garden and turned the garage into her cozy den with the constant help of her cat companions.

During this time Kathryn enjoyed, and excelled, in her role as a grandparent. Kathryn became Nana to not just her four grandsons, but to a whole host of others. These included the boys of her nephew Mike, and a long list of nieces, nephews, and kids from the surrounding area. They all remember Nana Vinje warmly. The garage den became a favorite place for card games and reading books with Nana on quiet days. She hosted garden parties and fashion shows on long summer evenings. And for the adventurous among us, raucous concerts and drum circles echoed across the farm. Afternoon ice cream was a ritual all the kids came to appreciate and look forward to.

As her grandsons grew, she helped them to see the world as an amazing place too. Kathryn would take the whole family on trips that everyone remembered and enjoyed. From building sandcastles on the beaches of Florida to hiking in the deserts of the Southwest, Kathryn loved to see her family together.

Kathryn passed away on June 12, 2026, at Sanford Mayville Hospital. She will be missed by all who knew her. Her ashes will be spread by her family in the Sandhills, a place she and David treasured.

She leaves behind her two sons William (Clara) and Nicholas (Heather) and four grandsons Jack, Owen, Max, and Toby. Kathryn is also survived by her first cousin and best friend Adele Wilson as well as her honorary son and daughter Mike and Rubie Vinje and their sons Edison and Ian.

The family would like to thank the staff at Luther Memorial Home in Mayville for their excellent care these past five years.

A celebration of life will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo, ND.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center in Fargo. To sign the online guest book, please visit our website at www.boulgerfuneralhome.com