1984
Vanessa
2016
Vanessa Dee Willems
August 13, 1984 — July 29, 2016
Vanessa Dee Willems, 31 of Sioux City passed away Friday July 29, 2016 at a Sioux City hospital.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday August 2, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Very Rev. Armand J. Bertrand officiating. Interment will be held at a later date in St. Ann's Cemetery Slayton, MN
Vanessa Dee Willems was born August 13, 1984 to Gail VandeVelde and James Willems in Detroit Lakes, MN. She lived in Detroit Lakes, Fargo ND and Sioux City, IA. She graduated from Sioux City East High School in 1991.
After Vanessa graduated from Sioux City East High, she moved out on her own. Her new home was with Midstep Services, a non profit agency that assists individuals with disabilities. The home allowed her to expand her freedom and live more independently. She developed many new relationships and had a very loving connection to caretakers Buffy and her team of Sunshine. A favorite duty to do at work was in their balloon shop and make deliveries.
She enjoyed attending concerts with her mom and going to coffee with her dad. Some of her most favorite moments were the wedding of her brothers and sister, the birth of all the babies in her life, Christmas scavenger hunts, the "Bad" happy birthday song sang very early on the day of her birthday by her step-mom Donna Willems. She loved to dance, have dinner at Bob Roes, swim like a fish and be with her dad. She relished having coffee with her Aunt Dawn, shopping for skinny jeans, baking cookies and eating them. Life for Vanessa was filled with great friends and support staff who treated her like she was part of their personal families. She would travel with her nurses to attend concerts and parades, baby showers and fish dinners in Wayne, NE. There was never a time when she lacked for love. She was quick to share a smile if you needed one and loved to share a hug as well.
Vanessa Dee faced many challenges in her life, living with Wilms Tumor, Aniridia causing legal blindness, mild MR and having been a kidney transplant recipient. She was strong, funny, courageous, touching the hearts and lives of everyone she came into contact with.
Survivors include her father, James Willems and step mom Donna; her brother Ryan(Meghan) Willems; step-sister April (Dustin) Hesse; step-brother Barry (Jacque) Beck; Nieces and Nephews- Tyler, Jack and Sydney Willems; Taylor and Cade Hesse; Carter, Chase and Baleigh Beck; her grandmother Bernice Willems of Sioux Falls; step-grandparents Don and Marilyn Smith; many aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her Mother Gail (VandeVelde) Willems; her grandmother Seraphia VandeVelde; her grandfather Arthur VandeVelde.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday August 2, 2016 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Very Rev. Armand J. Bertrand officiating. Interment will be held at a later date in St. Ann's Cemetery Slayton, MN
Vanessa Dee Willems was born August 13, 1984 to Gail VandeVelde and James Willems in Detroit Lakes, MN. She lived in Detroit Lakes, Fargo ND and Sioux City, IA. She graduated from Sioux City East High School in 1991.
After Vanessa graduated from Sioux City East High, she moved out on her own. Her new home was with Midstep Services, a non profit agency that assists individuals with disabilities. The home allowed her to expand her freedom and live more independently. She developed many new relationships and had a very loving connection to caretakers Buffy and her team of Sunshine. A favorite duty to do at work was in their balloon shop and make deliveries.
She enjoyed attending concerts with her mom and going to coffee with her dad. Some of her most favorite moments were the wedding of her brothers and sister, the birth of all the babies in her life, Christmas scavenger hunts, the "Bad" happy birthday song sang very early on the day of her birthday by her step-mom Donna Willems. She loved to dance, have dinner at Bob Roes, swim like a fish and be with her dad. She relished having coffee with her Aunt Dawn, shopping for skinny jeans, baking cookies and eating them. Life for Vanessa was filled with great friends and support staff who treated her like she was part of their personal families. She would travel with her nurses to attend concerts and parades, baby showers and fish dinners in Wayne, NE. There was never a time when she lacked for love. She was quick to share a smile if you needed one and loved to share a hug as well.
Vanessa Dee faced many challenges in her life, living with Wilms Tumor, Aniridia causing legal blindness, mild MR and having been a kidney transplant recipient. She was strong, funny, courageous, touching the hearts and lives of everyone she came into contact with.
Survivors include her father, James Willems and step mom Donna; her brother Ryan(Meghan) Willems; step-sister April (Dustin) Hesse; step-brother Barry (Jacque) Beck; Nieces and Nephews- Tyler, Jack and Sydney Willems; Taylor and Cade Hesse; Carter, Chase and Baleigh Beck; her grandmother Bernice Willems of Sioux Falls; step-grandparents Don and Marilyn Smith; many aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her Mother Gail (VandeVelde) Willems; her grandmother Seraphia VandeVelde; her grandfather Arthur VandeVelde.
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