Obituaries
Vyonne Kraen
Mass of Christian Burial for Vyonne Kraen, 89-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away suddenly Friday at the Johnson County Health Care Center in Buffalo will be celebrated Friday, March 28th at 2:00 p.m. at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Buffalo with Father Bryce Lungren as celebrant. A Vigil Service will be held, and the Rosary recited on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. At the Catholic Church. Visitation will be held at the Harness Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Interment will be in Willow Grove Cemetery, with graveside services to immediately follow the Mass. Donations in Vyonne’s memory may be made to The Council of Catholic Women (CCW) at 532 N. Lobban in Buffalo, Wyoming 82834. Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com.
Vyonne Irene Kraen was born on September 11, 1935, in Fryburg, North Dakota to Francis and Irene Joubert. She started school in Belfield, North Dakota and when she was seven, she moved with her family to Thermopolis, Wyoming and lived on the Milliron Ranch. In 1945 the family moved to Johnson County, Wyoming, where her father was a working cowboy on various ranches around Buffalo.
Growing up on a ranch, she was no stranger to the life of country-living and loved being around animals including some of her favorite dogs and horses and fishing with her dad and sisters. During her early school years, she often had to walk or ride horseback to the various one-room country schools she attended in Johnson County. As she grew older, she lived with various Buffalo families to attend school in town. She always spoke highly of these families and shared many stories about them. While in school, she held various jobs, including working in a local laundry mat and being an usher at the Bison Theatre. She always laughed that she got to tell people to be quiet and to sit down during the movies…a personality trait she carried with her throughout her life—lovingly remembered by her friends and family. She graduated from Johnson County High School with the class of 1954.
While in high school, during a basketball game, a young man sitting behind her kept giving her a hard time. That first meeting turned into a 69-year relationship when she married the love of her life, Don (Windy) Kraen, in October 1954. They were married in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and from this union they raised a devoted, loving family of five. Don passed away in July 2023 and Vyonne continued living in Buffalo until her death.
Vyonne, like her name, was truly one-of-a-kind, and her spirited spicy personality touched many people. These traits often had people questioning whether she liked them. Her children would often say, “don’t worry, her bark is worse than her bite”. People were amazed at how much spunk could fit into such a tiny body, and she enjoyed keeping people guessing. After her passing, her children found a horoscope (Virgo) newspaper clipping taped in her personal journal that read: “One way you show your love is to kid around a bit, bring a little levity to the picture and relate to people in a way that lets them know they are on ‘the inside’, close enough to you that the relationship can bear a little good-natured ribbing.”
She called herself a domestic engineer and loved every minute of being a stay-at-home mom and wife. She had an unwavering commitment to her family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and most importantly, her faith. She was fond of the saying; “If I had known grandkids were so great, I would have had them first!” Vyonne’s passion was tending to her flower garden and bird feeders. She enjoyed the simple pleasures of having coffee on her deck and in the sun-room, bird watching, and catching up with friends at the local stores, where she spent hours perusing the aisles. She loved being a part of the Buffalo community and had many close friends. She spent quality time playing bridge and pinochle with these friends. In her spare time, she would sew and crochet. She very seldom missed any event involving her grandchildren. She also got a thrill out of gambling that included trips to Deadwood and trips down the street to the Wyoming Downs. Don and Vyonne also spent a few winters in Arizona getting away from the Wyoming weather, took yearly visits to Las Vegas, and attended numerous banking conventions. Another highlight was snow machining at the family cabin with the Myers & Michelena clans. Some of her closest friends were family members–brothers/sisters, Myers family in-laws, and cousins from the Joubert/LeDoux and Kraen/Michelena families.
Vyonne was a member of the Council of Catholic Women, past board member of the Senior Center, American Legion Auxiliary, volunteered for numerous organizations/events, and taught CCD classes at St. John the Baptist church.
She is survived by one son Gary Kraen of Nashville, Tennessee; four daughters, Vernita Marton and her husband Randy of Casper, Shelley Armstrong and her husband Zach of Buffalo, Teresa Hicks and David Krings of Bottineau, North Dakota, and Lisa Peterson of Buffalo; one sister Linda Nielsen of Buffalo; one brother Larry Joubert of Buffalo; nine grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren; and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews and countless cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters, Gloria Whelan and Kathie Benjamin; three brothers, Darrell Joubert and twin infants; and one son-in-law Donny Peterson.
Everyone would agree that ‘mom’ had a rare gift for making people remember her—from telling people not to forget how to pronounce her name to giving you her opinion whether you wanted to hear it or not. No matter what, she always left a lasting impression on all who crossed her path. “She never left me without a smile!”
