Gretchen Florizel Versteegt

Gretchen Florizel Ver Steegt, 90, of Urbandale, Iowa, died peacefully at home on October 26, 2023. She was born near Sutherland in rural O'Brien County, Iowa, on February 8, 1933, to parents Bert and Ruth (Aitken) Kemp. She grew up in Decatur County, Iowa, and graduated from Leon High School in 1951.

Gretchen married Gerald “Slim” Ver Steegt on December 28, 1963, in Leon, Iowa. She, Gerald, and her three children, Farrel, Janet, and Tommy Vaughn, made their home in Searsboro, Iowa, and later moved to Lynnville, Iowa. Gretchen and Gerald had one daughter, Amy. Following Gerald’s death in 1992, she moved to the Des Moines area.

Gretchen was confirmed as an adult at Immanuel Lutheran Church LCMS in Osceola, Iowa, and was a charter member of Immanuel Lutheran Church LCMS in Grinnell, Iowa. After moving to Des Moines, Gretchen joined the congregation at Mount Olive Lutheran Church LCMS. She was an active member of the church and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

She enjoyed sewing, quilting, embroidering, knitting, and decorating cakes. She shared these skills with others through lovingly hand-made gifts, unique birthday cakes, knitted baby hats for area hospitals, and many quilt tops for her church group. She was an avid reader and enjoyed watching movies and sports. She was a life-long Democrat (Vote Blue!) and volunteered for many years as a poll worker. She also volunteered and worked at Living History Farms.

Gretchen is survived by her daughters Janet Vaughn and Amy Ver Steegt, grandchildren Lesley Beerends, Emily Alice, Maren Braaksma, and Alexandra Vaughn, granddaughter-in-law Anne Stein, great-grandchildren Jackson Beerends, Daphne Ledbetter, Amelia Hoy, Niall Hoy, and Ingrid Gibson, brother Samuel (Karen) Kemp, many grand-kitties, and numerous other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Gerald, sons Farrel and Tommy Vaughn, grandson Ryan Braaksma, her parents, brothers William, Robert, and Michael Kemp, and sister Agnes Arnold.

A memorial service will be held Monday, November 6, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 5625 Franklin Ave, Des Moines.

In remembrance of Gretchen’s life, the family asks that any memorial donations be made to Mount Olive Lutheran Church.