Emily VanderVeen

Emily VanderVeen, age 41 of Sibley, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at Sanford Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM, Monday May 4, 2026, at Tabernacle Baptist Church in George, Iowa with Pastor Bryan Anderson officiating. Burial will follow at Holman Township Cemetery in Sibley.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Sunday, May 3rd at Jurrens Funeral Home in Sibley.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.

Emily Joy VanderVeen was born on September 30, 1984, in Sibley, Iowa, the daughter of Fred and Barbara (De Visser) VanderVeen. She grew up in Sibley and attended River Valley School at Hope Haven in Rock Valley, Iowa, where she was a member of the last graduating class in 2003.

Emily owned and operated her own paper shredding business for many years. She loved attending J.O.Y. Camp and participating in the Special Olympics events throughout each year (bowling, basketball, and track & field). Emily enjoyed dancing, singing, baking, and watching “The Golden Girls”, as well as Disney movies such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “Frozen”. Nobody, NOBODY, gave better hugs than Emily. It was one of her special gifts.

Left to cherish her memory are her parents, Fred and Barb VanderVeen of Sibley, Iowa; her brother, Jared VanderVeen of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; grandmother, Helen VanderVeen of Sheldon, Iowa; her aunts and uncles: Paula (Don) Vander Brook of Marion, New York; Johan (Pat) De Visser of Webster, New York; Nellie Turner of Summerville, South Carolina; Erma (Larry) Te Grotenhuis of Sioux Center, Iowa; Eileen (Larry) Luitjens of Ashton, Iowa; Marla (John) Knoop of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada; and Ron (Sheri) VanderVeen of Rock Rapids, Iowa; her “second parents,” Al and Lori Reck of Sibley, Iowa; her “third mom,” Krista Solt of Fulda, Minnesota; as well as many cousins and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Fred VanderVeen Sr.; her maternal grandparents, David and Nellie De Visser; and her cousin, Jason John Knoop.