Kathy Versendaal, 89, of Grinnell, died at her home in Grinnell with her family by her side on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Interment will be in Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. A luncheon will follow at the Eagles in Grinnell. Visitation will be held prior to the service at the funeral home beginning at 9 a.m. Memorials may be designated to UnityPoint Grinnell Regional Hospice and mailed in care of Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Kathy’s family online at www.smithfh.com.
Katsuko Ota was born the daughter of Yoshitaro and Fusa (Kagano) Ota on Nov. 5, 1933, in Nagoya, Japan. She was raised in Nagoya and graduated from Nagoya High School in 1951.
At the age of 26, she moved to the United States and resided in Illinois. One of the most proud moments in her life was becoming a U.S. citizen in 1969. Kathy was united in marriage to Adrian Versendaal on Aug. 19, 1972, in Grinnell. She worked at DeLong’s Sportswear and later worked as a baker at Grinnell Middle School for over 20 years. Her enjoyments were knitting, fishing, camping, putting puzzles together, watching profes-sional wrestling, going out to eat, listening to country music, and most importantly, spending time with her grandchildren , great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
Kathy is survived by her husband of 50 years Adrian Versendaal of Grinnell; two daughters Livian (Ron) Shaver of Fallbrook, CA, and Judalon Meacham of Barstow, CA; sons Arie (Diane) Versendaal of Newton, Dexter (Teresa) Versendaal of Newton, Leroy Versendaal of Malcom, Andre (Lori) Versendaal of Grinnell, and Ricky (Becky) Versendaal of Newport, AR; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-
grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two sons Richard and Deanie Cook, and a daughter Mitzi Almond.
