Verdeen Pavelec
Verdeen Violet Pavelec, 90, of Denver IA, formerly of Readlyn, IA, died on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at UnityPoint-Allen Memorial in Waterloo.
Verdeen was born March 16, 1935 at (Buck Creek) Sumner, IA, the daughter of Leo and Mildred (Tietje) Westendorf. She was baptized March 30, 1935, and confirmed March 21, 1948, at St. John Lutheran Church (Buck Creek) Sumner. She attended country school Dayton No. 6, parochial school in Buck Creek, and Sumner High School. She first worked helping various families in their homes and then at Buck Creek store for 5 years.
On January 9, 1955, she was united in marriage to Reinhold (Bunny) Raymond Pavelec at St. John Lutheran Church, (Buck Creek) Sumner. They made their first home at Buck Creek and moved to Readlyn in September of 1955. Bunny passed away June 16, 1998.
She was a stay-at-home mom, a Cub Scout den mother, babysat, and taught many years of Sunday school and Bible school at UCC (Tripoli) and Zion (Readlyn). Verdeen was a longtime member of Zion Lutheran Church where she held all offices of the Zion Ruth Circle and served as secretary on the church council; she was also president of the VFW Auxiliary for many years. She worked part-time in a flower shop for 7 years and served 14 years on the Tripoli Nursing Home board. Verdeen volunteered at Share and Mended Hearts for 8 years, helped deliver Readlyn Chronicles 15 years, and took sermon tapes to shut-ins over 20 years. Verdeen represented her community as the 2010 Readlyn Grump. She moved to Willow Winds on February 12, 2022.
Verdeen loved doing things for her family, and enjoyed cards, playing piano, gardening, sewing, and quilting. She made crib quilts, lap quilts, car quilts, treasured wedding gift quilts, and many, many more quilts for Lutheran World Relief.
She is survived by two sons: Larry (Vicki) Pavelec, Readlyn, Steven (Sheryl) Pavelec, New Hartford; two daughters: Kathleen (Robert) Thiele, Waterloo, Connie (Phillip) Fleshner, Janesville; six grandchildren: Derek (Kristin) Pavelec, Madison, WI, Brett (Karalee) Pavelec, Anna, TX, Craig (Bailie) Pavelec, Readlyn, Edward (Bridget) Pavelec, Waterloo, Sarah Pavelec, Cedar Falls, Melissa (Dakotah) Jones, Charles City; 13 great-grandchildren: Annabel and Isaac Pavelec, Bennett and Reed Pavelec, Jacob and Elijah Pavelec and Ash and Atticus Gleason, Emmeric, Maximus, Tobias, Joanna, and Roman Pavelec; three sisters: Marlene Fasse and Jolene (William) McCurdy, Waverly, Beverly (Wayne) Block, Oelwein; and 25 nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents; sister: Arnetta (Edwin) Whitt; brother-in-law: Edward (Violet & Alice) Pavelec; sisters-in-law: Louisa (Emil) Spier, Rose (Kenneth) Kuhrt, Pearl (Kenneth) Heinemann, Irene (Willard) Buhr, Phyllis (Robert) Maxfield, LaVera (Russell) Bergen, Evelyn (Dean) Davis; and brothers-in-law: Louis Becker, Aaron McKenzie, and Virgil Fasse; and 1 niece and 3 nephews.
A funeral service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Readlyn, IA with Rev. Dr. Jean Rabary officiating. There was a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial was held in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Readlyn. The service was live streamed on the Zion Lutheran Church Facebook page.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church or Readlyn American Heart Association. Online condolences may be left atwww.kaisercorson.com.
Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Readlyn is assisting the family. 319-279-3551