Shawna Dee Vaughn-Matyah

STURGIS - Shawna Dee Vaughn-Matyah, formally known as Shawna Dee Vansickel, age 35, blessed Heaven's Gates on December 2nd, 2004. Shawna Dee was born on October 11, 1969, in Sturgis, S.D to Billy D. Vansickel and Beverly A. (Sternad) Vansickel. She attended grade schools in South Dakota and Wyoming. Shawna attended Junior High at Moorcroft Wyoming where she was also a member of the First Baptist Church, which led to her acceptance of Jesus Christ as her personal savior and baptism. High School began for Shawna in Faith, South Dakota and she completed her High School education at Sturgis High in 1987. Shawna explored not only the United States, but also countries outside of our great Nation. Through such exploration she settled for approximately 8 years in New Jersey where she applied her nurturing nature as a nanny, as well as pursued and completed training courses in nursing while working for a hospital. While in New Jersey, Shawna took instructions in the Catholic religion, then was blessed with her Grandpa Norman and Grandma McGee Vansickel flying to New Jersey to honor their commitment to her as God Parents as she was confirmed in the Catholic Faith. She then found her home in Las Vegas, NV for the following 8 years of her life where she excelled professionally at Hilton Enterprises. On October of 1998 Shawna married the now late James Pope. Shawna remarried on February 22, 2002 to Jacob Matyah in a ceremony at Grandparents Norman and McGee Vansickel's home. Shawna's loves were traveling abroad to take in the wonders of the world, as well as capturing her thoughts and life through the writing of poetry and journals. Shawna was an artist in her writing and because of such published a poem of her own "Fear of Love" in the International Library of Poetry. Amongst these blessings, a most precious time in Shawna's life was the reuniting of her daughter Crystal Hope Vansickel, now known as Mikala Nicole Mielke in the Summer of 2004. Shawna was taken too soon, but again we must remember that God's time is not always our time. Shawna is loved deeply and is forever engrained within the hearts of those whom she touched. Shawna was preceded in death by her biological father Billy D. Vansickel, Great Grandfather Oscar Vansickel, Great Grandmother Juanita Vansickel, Great Grandma Elizabeth Schuelke, uncle Dick Vansickel, cousin Tyler Anderson and her maternal grandparents, Emery and Dorothy Sternad; a cousin Larry Thomas Sternad, special uncle Daniel Sternad. Shawna is survived by her daughter Mikala N. Mielke of Black Hawk, S.D.; Mother Beverly Christoffersen and her Father Warren (Sonny) Christoffersen and family of Whitewood, SD; one sister Deanna Peterson, husband Brent and two girls, Shanell and Madalyn of Brady, NE; three brothers, Shane Vansickel and two girls, Brittney and Jessica, and his girlfriend Pilar Sawyer and her children Faryn and Cole, all of Spearfish, SD; Billy Vansickel and daughter Kayla, two sons, Kolt and Billy of Opal S.D.; Bret Vansickel and girlfriend Marchella Iannace of Atkins MN. Her paternal grandparents, Norman and McGee Vansickel and family. She is further survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. A family and friends Rosary Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on December 12, 2004 at Kinkade Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 13, 2004, at the Grace Lutheran Church in Sturgis with Pastor Roger Crowhurst officiating. Burial will follow at the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis. An Educational Scholarship Memorial Fund has been set in honor of her daughter Mikala N. Mielke.