Vickie Lynn (Trautman) Gunsch was born to Harold and Mary (Mathias) Trautman October 9, 1958. She was raised on the family farm east of Jamestown with her brother Thomas. While she wanted to be a farmer, it was not to be. She had several steers and horses while participating in the Stutsman County 4H program. She loved animals and was active in farm life. After graduating from Jamestown High School in 1977 she received her Practical Nursing Degree from the North Dakota State School of Science, and College Studies from the Mary College in 1981. She then worked at the Harvey Hospital before getting her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing at the Mary College in 1985 and starting her 30 year career as a critical care nurse at St. Alexius Medical Center, in Bismarck. She worked in Telemetry, Cardiac Cath Lab, and Radiology departments and was respected by her peers. She served on the North Dakota Board of Nursing from 1994 to 2002 and was honored to serve her profession.