Yvonne Beverly Lutgen Harris passed away in her home, surrounded by her husband and children, on August 18 at the age of 88. She was born July 12, 1938 in Valley City, ND. Her father, Leo Lutgen, was a farmer in LaMoure, ND, and her mother, Elaine (Maier) Lutgen helped manage the farm and ran the home. She grew up with two brothers, Jack Matthias and James Frederick Lutgen. Friends and family knew her by her preferred name of Vonnie.

Vonnie attended LaMoure High School from 1952-1956. She then studied sociology at Jamestown College from 1956-1959. Upon the death of her older brother, James, she left Jamestown College and moved to Billings with her mother and younger brother Jack. She enrolled in the University of Montana and completed a B.A. in Education with Elementary Certification to Teach in 1960. At UM, she was an active member of the Delta Gamma sorority.

On June 22, 1963, she married Joel Barton Harris at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Billings. High school sweethearts, the two grew up together in LaMoure—they told the story of their first meeting when Joel pushed Vonnie out of his swing at about the age of five. Vonnie and Joel had two children, Andrea Elaine Harris (1969) and Mark James Harris (1974). The family lived in Billings and attended Mount Olive Lutheran Church for over five decades.

Vonnie was a teacher in the Billings Public Schools from 1975-2000, working in schools including Rimrock, Boulder, Burlington, and Broadwater. She was a dedicated and patient teacher who had a special interest and skill in making all students across diverse backgrounds and educational needs feel included and valued in her classroom. The family often heard from former students that Vonnie was their “favorite teacher,” and it was a longstanding family joke that it was hard to go anywhere with her in Billings without meeting someone she had once taught. After retiring from teaching, she supervised student teachers at Montana State University Billings.

Those who were close to Vonnie often described her as “tiny but mighty.” Her open, accepting, and spunky spirit made her a central and much-loved figure in the many communities she was part of throughout her life, from being crowned high school homecoming queen to volunteering at LaVie Health. She was a lifelong defender of public education and women’s equality. Her faith was always her guiding force and source of strength. At Mount Olive Lutheran, she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and served in the roles of president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. An avid reader, she belonged to several book groups and especially loved historical fiction or stories based on women’s lives. She had many friends in many places. In fact, growing up, her kids lamented that she was too well connected, as she always knew someone, somewhere, who would see and report any misdeeds. She laughed heartily and freely, found the humor in the ups as well as the downs, and drew those around her into her joyful approach to life. She made unforgettable gingerbread cookies, Chex mix (renamed “whawham snack” by her first grandchild who could not pronounce “grandma”), casseroles, and iced sweet tea (served to all the neighborhood kids in abundance). She was an emotional and spiritual anchor for her family.

Vonnie is survived by husband Joel; children Andrea Harris and Mark Harris (Brandi DeSaveur, Jordan Nystul, Cayden Nystul); grandchildren Leif Harris Salisbury, Rory Salisbury Harris, and Jacob Leo Harris; niece Cheri Vondal (Robert); and nephews Kim Schmidt (Debbie Morrison) and Senit Lutgen (Shari).

A funeral service will be held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church on Saturday, September 5, 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts in Vonnie’s name be directed to St. John’s Foundation Resident Care Endowment Fund, 3940 Rimrock Road, Billings, MT 59102 or online at St. John's United and click the checkbox "Dedicate This Gift" and insert Vonnie's name to support long-term care for elders with financial need.