Veda Jane Rasmussen

Veda Jane Rasmussen Obituary Teacher, school social worker, world traveler, patron of the arts, and life-long learner, Veda Rasmussen embraced life with a combination of humor, common sense, and openness to new adventures. She was born in Sioux City, Iowa on April 10, 1923. She was the daughter of Gladys and Perry Rasmussen. She graduated with honors from East Sioux City High School. She received a BA degree from Morningside College in Sioux City and a Masters of Education degree from South Dakota State University. Her teaching career began in the elementary grades with a two-year teaching certificate. It took her eight years of scrimping to save enough money to fulfill her dream. In the late 1940’s no banking institution would loan money for education to a single woman. She taught at Spirit Lake, IA, George, IA, Norfolk, NE, Ida Grove, IA, and Boone, IA. Veda’s career led her to Des Moines and a career as a school social worker for 27 years in the Des Moines School System. She worked with the juvenile court system, social services, and parents always advocating for her students coping with poverty, parental neglect and/or abuse. She was the first president of the Iowa State School Social Workers Association. It was a time when many programs for children with special needs were being developed and she was instrumental in helping to pioneer some of those programs. Summers were dedicated to travel both in the United States and in Europe. Always seeking to learn she visited every state in the union and most of Europe. Each adventure was planned and shared with her good friend, Eleanor Starr. Elder Hostels on every topic imaginable also became part of their unique summer journeys. She eventually chose to retire in Cedar Falls. She enjoyed a wide range of interests including a love of learning, worldwide travel, a passion for music and theatre, a voracious reader on a wide range of topics, especially politics, and a deep love for UNI sports. She was a member of the Cedar Falls First United Methodist Church. As a young child, her father introduced Veda to music, theatre, and the visual arts. That early introduction provided the spark that led to life-long love of all the arts. She supported the University of Northern Iowa School of Music, the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, the Hearst Center of the Arts, and the Cedar Falls Community Theatre. Her brother, Perry Rasmussen and her sister, Norma Marth preceded her in death. Veda left this earth for one more adventure at the age of 93 on March 4, 2017 at Windhaven Assisted Living Center. A memorial service will be held later this spring and any memorial gifts should be directed to the University of Northern Iowa Foundation. Services are pending at this time. Memorials may be directed to the University of Northern Iowa Foundation.

Veda Jane Rasmussen

April 10, 1923 - March 4, 2017