LaVonne J. Hesebeck

Dubuque, Iowa formerly of Sheldon

LaVonne June (Braunschweig) Hesebeck, formerly of Sheldon, Iowa, died Thursday, May 21 in Dubuque, Iowa, at the age of 97, just three weeks shy of her 98th birthday.

Services will be held Friday, May 29 at 11:00 am at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Sheldon, Iowa with Rev. Christopher Martin officiating. Burial will be at Pleasant View Cemetery in Hartley, Iowa under the direction of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home of Sheldon. There will be a visitation at 10:00 am at St. Paul Luthern Church for those that wish to attend.

LaVonne Hesebeck, the only child of Eldo and Ida (Gieser) Braunschweig, was born June 8, 1928, in Hartley, Iowa. She was baptized July 22, 1928, at Lutheran Immanuel Church, Cherokee, Iowa. She was confirmed May 24, 1942 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hartley, Iowa. She lived there all of her early years graduating from Hartley High School as Valedictorian of her class in 1946. After attending summer classes at UNI, she began teaching rural schools in Omega Township, O’Brien County, in the fall of 1946. She graduated from Buena Vista University with a teaching degree in August, 1954. She then continued teaching in the Primghar, Boyden, Hull and Sheldon public schools. She was married to George Hesebeck on August 3, 1958 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hartley. They first made their home in Primghar while building a house in Sheldon where they moved in 1959. In 1976, she retired from teaching to be employed with the first staff of Village Northwest Unlimited when it opened its doors in July of that year. Working with people with disabilities was the rewarding mission of her life. She retired after 31 years at the Village in 2007. She continued living in Sheldon working at Touch of Hope, a Christian book store until 2015. She also volunteered at the Village Treasure Chest during these years. She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church serving on the Church Council being secretary for two years. She served on the Spiritual Gifts Team and the Endowment Committee. She taught Sunday School and Bible School. She was a member of the Esther Circle, the Lutheran Ladies Birthday Club and the Merry-Go-Round Club. She enjoyed her family, traveling to visit them, gardening, quilting, crocheting, playing her organ and oboe, reading and writing letters to friends and family. She moved to Oak Park Place Senior Living in March, 2015, in Dubuque, Iowa, where she was blessed with numerous new friendships.

LaVonne is survived by her son Darwin Hesebeck of Woodbridge, Virginia, daughter-in-law Leisa (Den Hartog) Hesebeck of Brighton, Colorado, daughter Darlys and Bryan Vander Lee of Dubuque, Iowa, grandchildren Ryan and Jade (Christensen) Hesebeck of Brighton, Colorado, Kyle and Rebecca (Gavin) Vander Lee of Lino Lakes, Minnesota, Kinsey (Vander Lee) and Jacob Heinemann of Waukee, Iowa, great grandchildren Madelyn Mathis, Lillyann Mathisen, Kathryn Mathisen, and Juliet Mathisen of Fort Lupton, Colorado, Aidan, Alexis, Greyson and Griffin Christensen of Loveland, Colorado, Maxwell Vander Lee of Lino Lakes, Minnesota, Adley Heinemann of Waukee, Iowa, and many nieces, nephews and dear friends.

LaVonne was preceded in death by her mother Ida (1962), father Eldo (1980), husband George (1988), granddaughter Crystal (Hesebeck) Mathisen (2019), daughter-in-law Debra (Fick) Hesebeck (2025), and son Ross (2025).