Vivian Darleen Gauvin

Vivian Darleen Gauvin passed away peacefully at the age 94 on May 2, 2023. She was born on September 13, 1928, near the small town of Viborg, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Margaret (Jensen) Wek and Theodore Wek. In 1956 she met and married Leo Vincent Gauvin. They remained happily married for 60 years until Leo’s passing in 2016.

Vivian was born in a small 2 room home on the family farm, right before the great depression. Times were hard growing up, by our standards, but Vivian never complained about needing anything when she was young. She lived on the farm with her parents, older sister Ardis and younger sister Marge. She attended elementary school in Viborg, a short distance away. She and her sisters walked to school all year long, even in winter. Sometimes they could take a shortcut across the fields because the snow had piled high enough to cover the wire fences. They all worked on the farm but her only stories of farm life were of adventure and good times with her sisters and parents. Later she moved away from the farm and attended Augustana Academy in Sioux Falls South Dakota.

In 1949 she moved away from home for good and eventually ended up in San Diego, California, where she worked for the phone company. There she met Leo, a sailor in the US Navy. They were married in 1956, after a short engagement. She couldn’t resist the man in uniform. Vivian gave birth to her first son, Steven Eugene Gauvin, in 1959 and never had a formal employer again. Steven was followed by Michael Dean Gauvin in 1961 and Robert Keith Gauvin in 1962.

Vivian lived with her 3 sons in Lemoore, California; O’ahu, Hawaii; and San Jose, California. All the time the kids were growing up, Leo remained in the Navy. During the Vietnam war years, Leo had 3 tours of duty in Vietnam, where he was away from the family for 9 months at a time. These were probably the hardest years for Vivian, but again, in later life she never complained. Vivian was an exceptional wife, mother and grandmother.

After Leo’s passing in 2016, Vivian moved to Loveland, Colorado. Steven and Robert had relocated there in previous years, and she was ready to leave California for a less crowded life where she could still be close to 2 of her sons. She lived at Sugar Valley Estates in Loveland, Colorado until her passing.

Vivian is preceded in death by both her parents Margaret and Theodore, her older sister Ardis and her husband Leo.

Vivian is survived by her younger sister Marge; her sons, Steven Gauvin (wife Carmen); Michael Gauvin (wife Kelly); and Robert Gauvin; her 5 grandchildren Benjamin Vincent Gauvin, Amanda Christine Gauvin, David Antony Gauvin, Jessica Elizabeth Gauvin and Mia Cristina Gauvin.

Rest in Peace beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother and friend. You will be missed by all.

Bible verses that Vivian lived by.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to their own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his Neighbor. Corinthians 10:24

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

A memorial service for Vivian will be held Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Allnutt Funeral Service – Hunter Chapel, 2100 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland, Colorado 80538.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.allnuttloveland.com for the Gauvin family.