Obituary for Heidi L. (Ketelsen) Van Gorp
Heidi L. Van Gorp, 41, of Des Moines, Iowa and formerly of Correctionville, Iowa passed away Thursday, October 8, 2015, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. The funeral Mass will be Tuesday, October 13 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Anthon, Iowa. Burial will be in Mt. St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery at Anthon. Visitation will be Monday, October 12 after 4:00 p.m. with a vigil wake service at 7:00 p.m. at the church. A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the at the Valley Church, 4343 Fuller Road, West Des Moines, Iowa Armstrong Funeral Home of Anthon has been entrusted with the arrangements. The family is receiving condolences on line at www.armstrongfuneral.com.
Heidi Lynn (Ketelsen) Van Gorp was born January 15, 1974, at Sioux City, Iowa, the daughter of Bernie and Barb (Gray) Ketelsen. She grew up living at Little Sioux Park near Correctionville, Iowa where her father served with the Woodbury County Conservation Department. She attended Eastwood School until her junior and senior year when she entered and graduated in 1994 from the Iowa Braille Sight Saving School at Vinton, Iowa. She then attended the Blind Adult Adjustment and Orientation Center at the Iowa Department for the Blind in Des Moines. There she met the love of her life, Scott Van Gorp. It was during this time that Heidi learned skills to live with her impending blindness. She worked in food related jobs in Cherokee and Sioux City. Scott and Heidi maintained their relationship as they both managed their vision issues remarkably independent. They were married July 9, 2005 at the Jordan Creek United Methodist Church in Des Moines. They made their home in Des Moines where Heidi supported Scott as a homemaker.
Heidi loved almost all kinds of music and loved to go to concerts. She also enjoyed reading. Every autumn, she followed the football season as a devoted fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Denver Broncos.
Even though she was born with sight and learned as a child she would become blind, she was always a very happy positive person. She never complained and was known to say that everything was ok, often pulling family and friends out of their troubled times. She was truly independent and inspirational. If the world was full of more people like Heidi, it would be a great place.
She was an active member of the National Federation of the Blind, an association that allows the blind to speak for themselves, supporting advocacy and education to the sighted. She served in various office positions with the Foundation and attended their national conferences.
Survivors include Scott her husband of 10 years; her parents, Bernie and Barb Ketelsen of Anthon; her paternal grandmother, Evelyn Ketelsen of Lawton, Iowa; a special aunt, Denice Joy of Cushing, Iowa; a special cousin, Brenda Weitzel of Sioux City, Iowa; her father-in-law and his wife, Verlon and Michelle Van Gorp of Des Moines and her mother-in-law and her husband, Sheryl and Gene Wolfswinkel of Pella, Iowa; and many other extended family members and good friends.
She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Chris Ketelsen; her maternal grandparents, Robert and Shirley Gray; and her special great grandparents, Bernard and Lena Meyer and Irene Watson; and an aunt, Susan Ketelsen.
Service:
Tuesday, October 13, 2015 10:30 a.m.ξ And ξA Memorial Serviceξ Saturday, October 17, 2015 10:00 a.m.ξ
St. Joseph Catholic Church Anthon, Iowaξ and the Memorial Service at Valley Church 4343 Fuller Road West Des Moines, Iowaξ
Visitation:
Monday, October 12, 2015 After 4:00 p.m.ξ
St. Joseph Catholic Church Anthon, Iowaξ
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Heidi Lynn (Ketelsen) Van Gorp was born January 15, 1974, at Sioux City, Iowa, the daughter of Bernie and Barb (Gray) Ketelsen. She grew up living at Little Sioux Park near Correctionville, Iowa where her father served with the Woodbury County Conservation Department. She attended Eastwood School until her junior and senior year when she entered and graduated in 1994 from the Iowa Braille Sight Saving School at Vinton, Iowa. She then attended the Blind Adult Adjustment and Orientation Center at the Iowa Department for the Blind in Des Moines. There she met the love of her life, Scott Van Gorp. It was during this time that Heidi learned skills to live with her impending blindness. She worked in food related jobs in Cherokee and Sioux City. Scott and Heidi maintained their relationship as they both managed their vision issues remarkably independent. They were married July 9, 2005 at the Jordan Creek United Methodist Church in Des Moines. They made their home in Des Moines where Heidi supported Scott as a homemaker.
Heidi loved almost all kinds of music and loved to go to concerts. She also enjoyed reading. Every autumn, she followed the football season as a devoted fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Denver Broncos.
Even though she was born with sight and learned as a child she would become blind, she was always a very happy positive person. She never complained and was known to say that everything was ok, often pulling family and friends out of their troubled times. She was truly independent and inspirational. If the world was full of more people like Heidi, it would be a great place.
She was an active member of the National Federation of the Blind, an association that allows the blind to speak for themselves, supporting advocacy and education to the sighted. She served in various office positions with the Foundation and attended their national conferences.
Survivors include Scott her husband of 10 years; her parents, Bernie and Barb Ketelsen of Anthon; her paternal grandmother, Evelyn Ketelsen of Lawton, Iowa; a special aunt, Denice Joy of Cushing, Iowa; a special cousin, Brenda Weitzel of Sioux City, Iowa; her father-in-law and his wife, Verlon and Michelle Van Gorp of Des Moines and her mother-in-law and her husband, Sheryl and Gene Wolfswinkel of Pella, Iowa; and many other extended family members and good friends.
She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Chris Ketelsen; her maternal grandparents, Robert and Shirley Gray; and her special great grandparents, Bernard and Lena Meyer and Irene Watson; and an aunt, Susan Ketelsen.
Service:
Tuesday, October 13, 2015 10:30 a.m.ξ And ξA Memorial Serviceξ Saturday, October 17, 2015 10:00 a.m.ξ
St. Joseph Catholic Church Anthon, Iowaξ and the Memorial Service at Valley Church 4343 Fuller Road West Des Moines, Iowaξ
Visitation:
Monday, October 12, 2015 After 4:00 p.m.ξ
St. Joseph Catholic Church Anthon, Iowaξ
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