Rhonda Jean Lewellyn, 64, of Bismarck, ND passed away peacefully at home on May 5, 2026, after a long battle with heart disease, with her children by her side. 

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 2:00 pm at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck, with a Celebration of Life picnic afterwards at 4:00 pm at Sertoma Park - Shelter 4. 

She came crashing into the world, “butt first”, as Rhonda Jean Frampton in Houston County, Missouri on December 31, 1961. 

After her mother married in 1967, Rhonda moved up to western North Dakota, growing up in Fryburg and Medora, and graduating from Belfield High School in 1980. After, she headed to Valley City State University for her Associate’s Degree, and there she met her future husband, Dean Lewellyn who she married August 14, 1982. They lived in Germany and Texas before moving back to North Dakota, living in Valley City and Fargo where they both attended NDSU. Rhonda would then graduate in 1989 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Over the next decade, she traveled extensively as a military spouse, living in Medora, ND; Ft. Meade, Maryland; and in Belgium, before divorcing in 2003. 

Together they had two children: Dylan (in 1984) and Kendra (in 1989). In 1999, Rhonda moved back to Bismarck, ND and started working at Aetna Health Insurance where she worked as a claims processor for nearly two decades. She met many friends and acquaintances there, and enjoyed spending leisure time at the Lonesome Dove and The Colonial in Mandan. 

Starting with an appendix bursting at the age of 2, Rhonda would endure many health challenges throughout her life, ranging from heart disease, cancer, lung disease, gallbladder, and everything else in between. She went with the flow of whatever life threw at her. She could be stubborn and sassy, but she was never short of laughs or love, and was always down to have a good time or lend a shoulder to lean on. While you could usually catch her reading or watching true crime, or watching MeTV, she was also known to love grilling, fishing, boating, games, cranking music up on a warm evening, and cracking open a cold Diet Mt. Dew. 

Above all, she loved her family and did everything she could to stick around for them. 

She is survived by her son, Dylan (Kelsey) Lewellyn, Lincoln; her daughter, Kendra (Bryan Larson) Lewellyn, Moorhead, MN; grandchildren, Daedyn, Ayden, Davin, and Arya; sister, Renae Praus, South Heart; and nieces, Megan Markuson, Fargo, Taylor Praus, South Hear,; and Shalee (Tarence) Dillinger, South Heart. 

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Elmer and Syliva Frampton; mother, Eleanor Vanvig; sister, Rita Edland; longtime companion, Stacy Grosz; and her feline soulmate, Bijou.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Heart Association in her honor.