Verneva "Vee" L. Stevens

Verneva "Vee" Lavonne (Blanchard) Stevens, age 76, of Glidden, Iowa, passed away on Monday, August 15, 2011 at Carroll Health Center in Carroll, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Farnhamville with Pastor Robert Zellmer officiating. Organist for the service will be her son-in-law John Van Horn. Congregational hymns will be “In the Garden” and “The Old Rugged Cross”. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Scranton from 5:00 – 7:30 P.M. on Friday. Burial will be in the Scranton Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Lyle Coon, Leslie Blanchard, Steven Blanchard, Gary Walter, Randy Mahler, and Everett Mahler. Honorary casket bearers will be her grandchildren. A luncheon will then be held for all friends and family at the American Legion in Glidden following the graveside service. Born on July 3, 1935 near Dedham, Iowa, she was the daughter of Zacherie and Melitta (Wegner) Blanchard. “Vee” as she was known to most grew up near Carrollton, Iowa, where she attended grade school and graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1952. She attended the Iowa State Teachers College, now known as the University of Northern Iowa, obtaining a teaching certificate in Elementrary Education. After a few years of teaching, she attended Iowa State University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementrary Education. She married Kenneth Stevens of Scranton on November 18, 1962 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson. Vee taught elementary school for 36 years at the following schools: Callender for 1 year, Dana for 1 year, Grand Junction for 3 years, East Greene for 4 years (when she went from being Miss Blanchard to Mrs. Stevens), Scranton for 1 year, then started her family. After having her 4 children, she resumed teaching at Scranton for another 5 years, at Lohrville for 9 years, and Southern Cal for 12 years. She retired from teaching in May of 2000. She had the privilege of having all 4 of her children in her classroom. Vee was a member of Holy Trinity Luteran Church of Farnhamville, where she served as chairman of the Social Ministry committee and was a member of Good Samaritan Circle. She was previously a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson where she was on the Education Committee, and taught Sunday School. She was a member of the Iowa Reading Association and had served as a Science Fair Judge at the local and county levels. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Lohrville Birthday Club. Vee was a Cub Scout Den Mother and was very proud that all three of her sons, her son-in-law and one grandson all received the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. Survivors include her husband Kenneth Stevens of Glidden, Iowa; a brother Derwyn Blanchard of Sacramento, California; her mother-in-law Lela Peterson of Scranton, Iowa; a son Mike Stevens and his wife Tere of Loves Park, Illinois; a daughter Cindi Van Horn and her husband John of Glidden, Iowa; a son Todd Stevens and his wife Monica of Des Moines, Iowa; a son Brian Stevens and his wife Michelle of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 15 grandchildren: Elizabeth, Sarah and David Stevens; Daniel, Maria and Esther Van Horn; Josh and Jacob Gilly, Zach and Nathan Stevens, Nathaniel Scott and Rebecca, Rachael, Justin and Jason Stevens. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother Mike Blanchard; a brother Marden Blanchard; a sister Maradell Mahler; a daughter-in-law Lisa Stevens and a granddaughter Katie Van Horn.