Jeannette "Jeanne" O'Dell

Sheldon, Iowa

Jeannette O'Dell age 70, of Sheldon passed away on Thursday December 18, 2025 at Sanford Medical Center in Sheldon. A Private family memorial service will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon.

Jeannette "Jeanne" O'Dell was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on January 11, 1955, to Lorna (Hohbach) and Burnell Schroeder. Jeanne passed away on December 18th after a courageous battle with heart failure for three months. She was the first of five children: Bradley (Trudy), Craig (Trudy), Luann (Dave), and Rebecca. Jeanne moved to Aurelia, Iowa, where she lived on a farm and enjoyed being outside from a young age, feeding animals with her dad. She played tractors or dollhouse with her brother Brad. In 8th grade, she moved to Alta, Iowa. They thought they were fancy moving into a brick house next to the golf course. Then, she moved to Alta school halfway through 8th grade. She went from being the tallest in Aurelia to the shortest girl in Alta. Jeanne remembered getting called out of school to go home and be with her three youngest siblings while her mother had her fifth baby, Rebecca, in October. She got her driver's license in January and headed to work at the Villager at 16 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She loved her freedom and a paycheck. She always worked hard, no matter the job. After work at the Villager, she would head to the local bowling alley every Friday night. Jeanne graduated from Alta, Iowa, in 1973, went to business school in Omaha, Nebraska, and then worked at the Sioux City Journal. She met a girl from Ogallala, Nebraska, and they lived together for six months before deciding to sell everything and head to California. It took them three months of sightseeing to get from Iowa to California, visiting everything in between, including Jackson Hole. Jeanne started working at Script Clinic in La Jolla, California. Within three months, she took over admissions and admitted famous people, including Fleetwood Mac's, Carly Simon, and Berry Coldwater. She loved sitting on the patio overlooking Danny Thomas' golf course and the ocean. This was one of her favorite memories and places. Jeanne returned to her brother Brad's wedding and met her soon-to-be husband, Digger. They married six months later on August 31 and had their first child, Ryan, on September 29, 1981. They moved to South Sioux City, Nebraska, where Jeanne worked as a producer of commodities at the stockyards in Sioux City, Iowa, until Jeanne had Katye on January 17, 1983. Jeanne decided to stay home for six months before working at MCI as a supervisor and quality assurance in 1983. She enjoyed the fast-paced life, traveling with the company, dressing up, winning awards, and the purpose of the company. Jeanne and Digger divorced in 1989, and she later moved to Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. In 1994, Jeanne started her new career at Direct Transit, followed by K&B Trucking in 1997, and then took a position at Van Wyk Trucking in Sheldon, Iowa. Jeanne never thought she would move to that small town, but she fell in love with Van Wyk and Sheldon and called it home since 2005. Her brother Craig would often visit her job to show her his new semi, and they shared a bond as siblings and in the trucking business. Jeanne enjoyed being a grandma to her six grandchildren: Gage and Peyton Pojar, Emma and Ella O'Dell, and Harper and Jackson Dilks. Her favorite times with them included taking them to Dairy Dandy for ice cream in Sheldon, Iowa, the beach in Okoboji, Iowa, the movie theater, or out to dinner. 

Jeanne met Sharon, her best friend, after moving to Sheldon. If you saw Jeanne, Sharon was not far away. They worked together, lived together, and traveled together from the Dominican Republic to Hawaii and their favorite beaches in California. .In her later years, they enjoyed riding electric bikes. Jeanne also enjoyed visiting her sisters Luann and Rebecca in Des Moines and spending time with her mother, Lorna. One of her final wishes was to have all her brothers and sisters together again, which came true in November. In 2015, Jeanne gained a son-in-law, DJ, whom she truly adored. They shared a wonderful relationship filled with laughter, easy conversation, and genuine enjoyment of one another. Their bond was one of mutual love and respect, and Jeanne cherished the joy DJ brought into her life. In her final days, DJ made a special trip to be with her and help care for her—a gesture that meant the world to Jeanne and spoke deeply to the closeness they shared.

Jeanne was a uniquely imperfect woman, strong and independent, who inspired countless lives. She was a free-spirited individual who took leaps of faith, a tireless worker, and a woman whose authenticity shone bright. Her generosity knew no bounds, and she showered loved ones with thoughtful gifts and kindness. Jeanne found solace in life's routines, and her daily rhythms were a comforting constant. 

The family would like to thank the nursing staff and doctors who cared for Jeanne during her last three months, from Sheldon Hospital to Sioux Falls Hospital. A special thank you to Maggie from Sheldon Hospital for her care and love towards Jeanne. The family also thanks all the family and friends who visited, brought food, laughter, gifts, and even had wheelchair races with her sister Rebecca in her final days. Celebration of life will be done with her immediate family the weekend of her birthday on January 11th.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to go to Sanford Hospital and nursing staff.