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Jocelyn Rae VanLishout passed away on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 with her loving husband and daughters by her side.

Jocey was born on March 3, 1959, in Elgin, North Dakota, to Arlen and Jackie Oberlander. The family made their home in Mott, where she grew up surrounded by family, friends, and a love of music.

At the age of six, she began taking piano lessons. Over the years, she played in recitals and accompanied church services. During high school she found great joy in providing music for many special occasions. She was also a member of the choir and several smaller music groups. One of her favorite high school memories was performing in the annual Café Concert presented by the Mott High School music department each spring.

After graduating from Mott High School, Jocey attended Dickinson State College for one year. Realizing college was not for her at that time, she began her career with the North Dakota Highway Patrol in Bismarck as a data entry clerk. In 1981she took on a new adventure moving to Phoenix, AZ where she worked as a Customer Service rep for a large printing company. In 1983 she married Gary Deutsch and from this union her daughters Heather and Lindsey were born.

The family moved back to Bismarck where Jocey worked at the Chamber of Commerce, Quality Printing, and eventually Bismarck State College. She served as a Financial Aid Counselor and Veterans Benefits Administrator, a role that was especially meaningful to her. She felt honored to help veterans receive the educational benefits they had earned through their service. Jocey was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday school while her daughters were young.

On February 18, 2006, she married Chuck VanLishout, and together they blended their family of five children. In the fall of that year, she moved back to her hometown of Mott and made her home on Chuck's family farm. Although she wasn't sure how a "city girl" would fit into farm life, she was determined to give it a try. Over the next 20 years, Jocey embraced every part of it. She helped with spring fieldwork, operated the grain cart during harvest, and came to truly love life on the farm. She was a member of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, where she volunteered much of her time to help others. Some of her greatest joys were early morning walks in the country, planting and tending her garden, and caring for the beautiful flower beds that surrounded their home. Weeds and the wind were her only enemies in life.

What Jocey treasured most was having her family gathered at the farm. Her grandchildren were the light of her life, and she loved watching them learn, explore, and experience the many joys of farm life while creating memories they will cherish forever. She poured her love into preparing everyone's favorite meals and creating a home where family always felt welcome around the dinner table.

Jocey never met a stranger. She treasured the many lifelong friendships she made throughout the years and had a remarkable gift for making new friends wherever life took her. Whether through work, church, camping, winters in Arizona, or simply striking up a conversation, she genuinely enjoyed getting to know people. Her kindness, warm smile, and caring heart made others feel welcome, and those friendships brought her great joy throughout her life.

Jocey and Chuck also shared a love of traveling together. Over the years, they owned many different campers and enjoyed exploring new places and making memories on the road. No matter where their adventures took them, they always said there was no place like home, and were happiest when they returned to the farm they loved.

In retirement, Jocey and Chuck purchased a home in Mesa, AZ, where they spent winters enjoying the sunshine and hiking the trails. She was always the life of the party, lighting up every room with her beautiful smile, infectious laugh, and gift of storytelling. In the final years of her life, Jocey faced significant health challenges with remarkable strength and grace. Through every setback, her faith in God never wavered. Daily devotions gave her hope, and she met each day with quiet courage and determination, becoming an example of perseverance to everyone who loved her. Even in difficult times, her kindness, gratitude, and love for her family continued to shine brightly. She always cared for others more than herself.

She is survived by her loving husband, Chuck; her daughters, Heather (Dan) Oswald, Lindsey (Jamie) Dutchak, and Kat (Mike) Perreault; her sons, Josh (Elizabeth) and Nathan VanLishout; nine cherished grandchildren; and her three brothers, Kevin (Hildy), Kyle (Donna), and Kerry (Rebecca) Oberlander.

In lieu of flowers, Jocey would have appreciated memorial donations to Community Kicking Cancer, a regional organization out of Sheilds ND, that provides support and hope to cancer patients and their families across rural North Dakota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. MT at St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Mott, ND.  Fr. Chris Kadrmas will officiate.  Rosary and vigil is scheduled for Tuesday, August, 11, 2026 at 6 p.m.