Norma Jean 'Jeanie' (Ver Steegh) Smith, 94, left this world to be with her Lord
on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at the Stanard Assisted Living (Western Homes) in
Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Jean was born to Gerrit Everett Ver Steegh and Irma Marie (Heinzman) Ver Steegh in Oskaloosa, IA on July 29, 1925. In her high school years, she worked at Beal"s grocery. After graduation from New Sharon High School in 1943 as valedictorian, Jean attended AIB (American Institute of Business) in Des Moines during the summer of 1943. She worked as a bookkeeper at American Litho & Printing Company in Des Moines.
On June 2, 1944, Jeanie married Herschel LaVerne Smith at the New Sharon Presbyterian Church. Jeanie worked for CPAs in New Sharon and Ottumwa before Herschel started farming.
As a farmer's wife, Jean raised and sold dressed chickens to New Sharon residents. Like most farmers' wives of that time, she was a 'stay-at-home' mother. She worked as a cook's helper at Oskaloosa High School. Later, Jean worked for thirteen years as a sales associate at Hickory House in Oskaloosa. Jean served her community, church and family faithfully. She was active in Helping Hands Circle and later Willing Workers. For over 40 years, Jean taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and wrote puppet scripts for Children's Church. She was an active member of WMC (Women's Missionary Council) with the New Sharon and Oskaloosa Assemblies of God churches.
Jeanie and Herschel loved to travel, seeing all 50 states. They also toured Israel and Europe.
Her memory is honored by her three children Connie Buesch of Aurora, Colorado, grandson Sean Buesch and great-granddaughters Alyssa and Krystianna Buesch; Dr. Marvin (Betty) Smith of Princeton, Minnesota, granddaughter Jennifer (Aaron) Gruber and great-grandson Caleb and great-granddaughter Elanor of Princeton, Minnesota; Andrea (Jeff) Stallman, grandson Andrew (Andrea) Stallman and granddaughter Aubrey (Alex) Streicher of Des Moines, Iowa. In addition, there are nephews and dear friends.
Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Herschel LaVerne Smith, her parents, her sister, Jessie Ver Huel, and two brothers Harold and Leslie Ver Steegh, and son-in-law William Buesch.
Services 11:30 a.m. Monday, December 23, 2019 at the New Sharon Assembly of God Church, with interment in the Friends Cemetery, New Sharon. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until service time on Monday at the church. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Assemblies of God Church in New Sharon.
Richardson Funeral Service
Herschel Smith, 83 of Oskaloosa, passed away Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at his home
in Oskaloosa.
Funeral services will be Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 1:30 P.M. at the New Sharon
Assembly of God Church with Pastor Scott Collier and Dr. Marvin Smith officiating.
Interment will be in the Friends Cemetery in New Sharon.
Herschel LaVerne Smith was born to Charles and Hazel Lundy Smith in Union Mills, Iowa on November 8, 1924. His father passed away on July 4, 1927. His mother married M. F. (Pete) Groves on February 18, 1933. Herschel graduated from New Sharon High School in 1942.
On June 2, 1944 he was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Norma Jean Ver Steegh, at the New Sharon Presbyterian Church. Prior to his marriage, he worked at Beal's Grocery Store in New Sharon and at John Morrel's in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Herschel was an Iowa farmer. During his first years in farming, Herschel tilled the land with horse-drawn implements and picked corn by hand. In 1953 he won the DeKalb corn growing contest for Mahaska County and later, he sold Crows Seed corn. Herschel worked different farms in the New Sharon area until 1971 when he and Jean purchased a farm in Jefferson township, Mahaska County. Herschel and Jean moved from the farm to Oskaloosa in 1977 and he continued farming until 1996. He also worked at Serennets and the Hickory House in Oskaloosa. He raised hogs, Angus and Charolais cattle, Lincoln sheep, and chickens - with Jeanie's assistance. On October 8, 1966, Herschel nearly died when he was struck from behind while driving his tractor on U.S. Highway 63 just three miles south of New Sharon. Scores of area farmers helped harvest his crops that fall. Herschel loved the farming life . . . where he would talk to God as he worked.
At age 9, Herschel was a charter member of the New Sharon Assembly of God Church where he was currently still a member. For many years, he was also an active member in the Assembly of God Church in Oskaloosa. His devotion to God was evidenced by teaching Sunday school for 55 years, by weekly visiting nursing homes, and by serving as a Sunday school superintendent, deacon, and Royal Ranger leader.
Herschel loved his family. Christmas gave him and Jean opportunity to show their love by giving lots of gifts. He valued the time playing with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and going to their school and church events. And Herschel and Jean loved to travel. The Smith family drove to Seattle in 1962 to see the World Science Fair and to New York in 1964 to visit the World's Fair. Herschel and family stepped foot in all 48 contiguous states and he and Jean toured Hawaii and took a cruise to Alaska. They also toured Israel and Europe.
His memory is honored by his wife of 64 years, Jeanie of Oskaloosa; his children Connie (Bill) Buesch of Aurora, Colorado, grandson Sean Buesch and great-granddaughters Alyssa and Krystianna Buesch of Colorado Springs; Dr. Marvin (Betty) Smith of Limerick, Pennsylvania, granddaughter Jennifer (Aaron) Gruber and great-grandson Caleb and great-granddaughter Elanor of Bensalem, Pennsylvania; Andrea (Jeff) Stallman, grandson Andrew and granddaughter Aubrey of Cedar Falls, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his step-father, and his brother Louis Smith, a sister-in-law Jessie Ver Huel, and two brothers-in-law Leslie and Harold Ver Steegh, and sister-in-law Laura Ver Steegh.
He is survived by a sister Alma Smith and sister-in-law Helen Smith, both of Grinnell, Iowa and a sister-in-law Arlene Ver Steegh of Oskaloosa, Iowa. There are, also, many nieces and nephews and dear friends.