Phyllis Kay Van Der Veer

Phyllis Van Der Veer, 76, of Oskaloosa passed away early Sunday morning, March 16, 2014 at Mahaska Health Partnership in Oskaloosa. Phyllis Kay Van Der Veer, daughter of Fred Earl and Viola (Estella) Johnson Lanphier, was born May 17, 1937 in Tracy, Iowa. She attended Tracy High School where she played basketball. Phyllis married her first and only love, Kenneth Lee Van Der Veer, July 31, 1953, in Oskaloosa. They made their home in Oskaloosa where they raised their three children. He passed away after 47 years of marriage on December 23, 2002. Phyllis loved to cook and she worked in several restaurants in the area including the Friends Diner in Leighton, Iowa. Family was always first in Phyllis’ life, as recently as a week before her death she was planning family get-togethers and great-grandchildren slumber parties. Daily devotions with “Our Daily Bread” was something Phyllis did faithfully. She also enjoyed solving crossword puzzles, westerns on TV, an occasional casino visit and cheering for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Those left to cherish her memory are her children: Butch (Bev) Van Der Veer of Oskaloosa, Thomas (Jo Ann) Van Der Veer of Beacon, and Kimberly (Dennis) Johnston of Oskaloosa; ten grandchildren: Sheila Van Der Veer, Angie (Jason) Cahoy, Elisha (Brian) Sterling, Johnny (Angie) Lesher, Jesse (Christine) Van Der Veer, Stefanie (Matt) Coenen, Christy (Chad) Weidemann, Ben (Maggie) Johnston, Kelly (Derek) Nichols and Melissa Uribe; thirteen great-grandchildren: Carter, Marissa, Aleigha, Zoe, Austen, Maddison, Brooklynn, Libbie, One on-the-way, Glacia, Macy, Carissa, Adan and, Kinzley; her siblings: Chuck Lanphier of Eddyville, Mabel (Buck) Boyer of Oregon, Nellie (Bert) Farmer of Knoxville, Mary (Norman) Riddle of Pella, Howard (Linda) Lanphier of Oskaloosa and Paul (Pic) Lanphier of Oskaloosa; her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Esther Lanphier of Oskaloosa, Sabra Lanphier of Knoxville, Harry Van Der Veer of Knoxville, Carl (Karen) Van Der Veer of Pella, Robert Van Der Veer of Newton and Mildred (Robert) Marsh of Arizona; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and her husband, Phyllis was preceded in death by her seven siblings: Clara Olson, Bill Lanphier, Kenneth Lanphier, Robert Lanphier, Frieda Christenson, Maxine Faulkner, and Jerold Lanphier; and a sister-in-law, Julie Van Der Veer. Funeral services for Phyllis will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the Bethel Baptist Church in Oskaloosa with Reverend Dr. Del Bittner of Rose Hill Community Church officiating. A family prayer service will precede the funeral at 10:15 a.m. in the church fellowship hall. Burial will be in Bellefountain Cemetery near Tracy. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m., Tuesday, at the Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel; the family will be present from 5-7 p.m. to greet visitors. Memorials may be made to the John Stoddard Cancer Research Center. PDF Printable Version

Phyllis Kay Van Der Veer

May 17, 1937 - March 16, 2014