Virginia Jana "Ginny" Keck (VanDenberg)

Virginia "Ginny" Keck, 75, of Sioux City passed away Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, at a Sioux City hospital following an extended illness.

Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel, with the Rev. Steve Jewett officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. followed by an Order of the Eastern Star service, at the funeral home.

Virginia was born March 5, 1932, in Sioux City, to Lyle and Margarite (Hendershott) VanDenberg. She graduated from Central High School with the class of 1950. She continued her studies at Methodist Hospital for one year before taking employment as a pharmacist assistant in a local pharmacy. Most of her working life was spent with the U.S. Probation and Parole Service and serving as a deputized U.S. Marshall when a female was being transported, retiring in the mid 1990s.

She and Donald Keck were married in September 1952 at Westlawn Presbyterian Church in Sioux City. With the exception of four years in the mid 1950s, they lived in Sioux City.

She was a member of Daughters of the Nile. She was an active volunteer, especially at the Ronald McDonald House, where she served on the board of directors and as a volunteer coordinator. She was elected to head the Morningside Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star twice and served as an officer of that organization for several years.

She is survived by her husband, Don of Sioux City; a son, Dale of Sheldon, Iowa; daughters, Mary Keck and Sheryl Murphy of Sioux City; nine grandchildren, Josh, Ben, Jacob, Kaley, Alyssa, Jenny, Jason, Anna and Sara; and four great-grandchildren.

She leaves behind a legacy of caring for the needs of others and showing her love for her family and friends by actions taken, rather then by talking about her good deeds.

Memorials may be directed to the Ronald McDonald House of Sioux City.