VEVA JOY VORHIES
Veva Joy (Short) Vorhies was born on a farm near Diagonal on April 23, 1930. She lived her early life with her parents Ray and Minnie (Reynolds) Short in the Diagonal/Shannon City area. She was the fourth of five surviving children. She graduated from Shannon City High School 1948 where she played girls basketball. Following graduation, she worked at the Café in Shannon.
On September 9, 1950, she married Donald (Pete) Vorhies at the Mount Ayr Methodist parsonage. They made their home on the Vorhies family farm near Shannon where she was a farm wife and they raised their two children, Dolores and Steve. She was known for her baking. Pies, cookies and candies (especially her chocolate covered cherries) were her specialties. As a young mother, she also enjoyed sewing clothes for herself and her daughter. Later in life she enjoyed doing counted cross stitch and reading. Her cross-stitched tablecloths and pictures are in many people’s homes.
After Pete retired she began babysitting, where she welcomed many children into their home. Three special ones, Jason, Ryan and Janel Wortman remain close friends, often referred to as her other grandkids.
Following Pete’s death in 1998 she remained on the family farmstead until moving to Tingley in 2009. She was a member of the Shannon City Community Church and served on the board for many years. Veva passed away on November 5, 2017.
She is survived by her two children, Dolores (Bob) Gullikson of Omaha and Steve (Rosanne) Vorhies of Red Oak; two beloved grandsons, Mike Gullikson of Omaha and Nathan Vorhies (Raychel) of Olathe, KS; two great-grandchildren, Ethan and Avery Vorhies of Olathe; brother, Richard (Becky) Short of Colorado Springs; sisters Pauline Meeker of South Carolina and Elma (Fred) Stickel of Colorado Springs; niece, Karen Carlson of Lenox and nephew Britt Minson of Creston; special friends Roger and Carol Wortman, Jason, Ryan and Janel; along with many other nieces and nephews and dear friends.
Veva was preceded in death by her husband Pete; parents, Ray and Minnie Short; parents-in-law Walter and Beulah Vorhies; brother-in-law and sister Howard and Edna Vorhies; sister-in-law Billie Short; brothers-in-law Earl Curran and Russ Meeker; nephew Bob Curran, and special family friend Ed Fletcher. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements for Veva Vorhies.
Veva’s services were on Thursday, Noveber 9, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Shannon City Community Church in Shannon City, Iowa.
Officiating was Pastor David MacDonald. Musicians were Virginia Walden and Don Wilson. Songs that were sang were “How Great Thou Art” and “Amazing Grace”.
Casketbearers were Mike Gullikson, Nathan Vorhies, Jason Wortman, Ryan Wortman, Caleb Hoffman, and Mike Vorhies.
Burial was in the Oakland Cemetery at Shannon City, Iowa.
Memorials will go to the Oakland Cemetery.
