Obituary for Valerie Lou Rand (Jackson)
Le Mars, Iowa - Valerie Rand passed away Wednesday August 17, 2022 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota surrounded by her loving family. A Celebration of Life service will take place at 11:00 am on Monday October 31, 2022 at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Pastor Matt Wentz of Le Mars will officiate. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home with the family present at 5:00 pm and a Prayer Service at 7:00 pm.
Valerie Lou Jackson was born January 2, 1930 to Archie and Isabel (Coburn) Jackson in Sioux City, Iowa. She graduated from Leeds High School in January of 1948 with a major in Art, dreaming of attending Art School in Chicago. She later took several art classes at Westmar College in the 1970s, which further fueled her love of art. Many of her sketches and watercolor paintings survive today as evidence of her artistic talent and passion.
On July 16, 1951, Valerie was united in marriage with Duane Rand in Sioux City at the Assembly of God Church. Five children were born in this union. The couple later divorced.
When Valerie was 19-years-old, her father, Archie, purchased the Waeside Inn in Le Mars, and Valerie went to work with him at the restaurant. This became a lifelong commitment for Valerie. Her strong leadership and business skills are what brought Archie’s Waeside to the success it is today.
In the late 1960s through the 1980s, Valerie traveled extensively with both the Iowa Restaurant Association and longtime friends. She visited Italy, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Norway, England, Scotland, Ireland, China, Japan, Mexico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten, along with Las Vegas and San Francisco in the US. Valerie had fond memories of her travels and often spoke of them as being some of the most rewarding experiences of her life.
In addition to her artistic talents, Valerie’s other skills and hobbies included reading, photography, knitting, crocheting, sewing, and needlepoint. Her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren treasure the blankets, hats, dresses, and other articles of clothing Valerie crafted during her life. Valerie also thoroughly enjoyed cooking and baking outside of her professional career at the restaurant. For many years, she made batches of salsa, pickled green tomatoes, and other canned foods using produce grown from the garden at Archie’s. She baked homemade pies from scratch every Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, much to the enjoyment of her children and grandchildren.
Generosity was Valerie’s greatest talent. She gave away her beautiful baby blankets, her canned foods, and just about anything else she made to help others. She donated these items to fundraisers at local churches and schools when they hosted special suppers or bake sales. She was known to pay the grocery bills of young mothers at the store or to help out an employee in need at the restaurant. She always gave to others first, thinking of herself last. Her legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren, her work at Archie’s, and all the other lives she impacted through her charitable acts and mentorship.
In her later years, Valerie loved watching television and tending to the gardens at Archie’s. She enjoyed cooking shows, Iowa Public Television, concerts, Broadway productions, opera, old movies, travel shows, and of course, QVC and HSN. Valerie loved her flowers and the vegetable gardens at Archie’s. She spent many afternoons outside watching planting and harvesting.
Valerie was proud of her children and grandchildren, and she loved hearing of their activities and accomplishments.
Valerie is survived by her five children: Renate (Craig) Maxey of Pickerington, OH, Lorrie (Jim) Luense of Merrill, IA, Madelyn Leigh of Littleton, CO, Christopher Rand of West Palm Beach, FL, and Robert (Dana) Rand of Le Mars, her grandchildren: Lacey (Alex) Luense of College Station, TX, Kelly (Casey) Dulin of Dripping Springs, TX, Alan Luense of Sioux Falls, SD, Hannah Leigh of Burlington, VT, Mary (Zach) Grossman of Iowa City, IA, Rana Rand of San Francisco, CA, Meredith Rand of Le Mars, IA, Dayton Rand of Le Mars, IA, and Sydney Rand of Le Mars, IA, and two great-grandchildren: Archer and Harleigh Dulin of Dripping Springs, TX. She is also survived by sisters Sharon Strohm of Ames, IA, Rhoda LaScala of Coppell, TX, and Pigeon (Dan) Heuertz of Le Mars, and several nieces and nephews.
Valerie was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents; and her sisters, Glory Fletcher and Carol Sue Holdcroft; and a brother, Tim Lester.
Valerie Lou Jackson was born January 2, 1930 to Archie and Isabel (Coburn) Jackson in Sioux City, Iowa. She graduated from Leeds High School in January of 1948 with a major in Art, dreaming of attending Art School in Chicago. She later took several art classes at Westmar College in the 1970s, which further fueled her love of art. Many of her sketches and watercolor paintings survive today as evidence of her artistic talent and passion.
On July 16, 1951, Valerie was united in marriage with Duane Rand in Sioux City at the Assembly of God Church. Five children were born in this union. The couple later divorced.
When Valerie was 19-years-old, her father, Archie, purchased the Waeside Inn in Le Mars, and Valerie went to work with him at the restaurant. This became a lifelong commitment for Valerie. Her strong leadership and business skills are what brought Archie’s Waeside to the success it is today.
In the late 1960s through the 1980s, Valerie traveled extensively with both the Iowa Restaurant Association and longtime friends. She visited Italy, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Norway, England, Scotland, Ireland, China, Japan, Mexico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten, along with Las Vegas and San Francisco in the US. Valerie had fond memories of her travels and often spoke of them as being some of the most rewarding experiences of her life.
In addition to her artistic talents, Valerie’s other skills and hobbies included reading, photography, knitting, crocheting, sewing, and needlepoint. Her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren treasure the blankets, hats, dresses, and other articles of clothing Valerie crafted during her life. Valerie also thoroughly enjoyed cooking and baking outside of her professional career at the restaurant. For many years, she made batches of salsa, pickled green tomatoes, and other canned foods using produce grown from the garden at Archie’s. She baked homemade pies from scratch every Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, much to the enjoyment of her children and grandchildren.
Generosity was Valerie’s greatest talent. She gave away her beautiful baby blankets, her canned foods, and just about anything else she made to help others. She donated these items to fundraisers at local churches and schools when they hosted special suppers or bake sales. She was known to pay the grocery bills of young mothers at the store or to help out an employee in need at the restaurant. She always gave to others first, thinking of herself last. Her legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren, her work at Archie’s, and all the other lives she impacted through her charitable acts and mentorship.
In her later years, Valerie loved watching television and tending to the gardens at Archie’s. She enjoyed cooking shows, Iowa Public Television, concerts, Broadway productions, opera, old movies, travel shows, and of course, QVC and HSN. Valerie loved her flowers and the vegetable gardens at Archie’s. She spent many afternoons outside watching planting and harvesting.
Valerie was proud of her children and grandchildren, and she loved hearing of their activities and accomplishments.
Valerie is survived by her five children: Renate (Craig) Maxey of Pickerington, OH, Lorrie (Jim) Luense of Merrill, IA, Madelyn Leigh of Littleton, CO, Christopher Rand of West Palm Beach, FL, and Robert (Dana) Rand of Le Mars, her grandchildren: Lacey (Alex) Luense of College Station, TX, Kelly (Casey) Dulin of Dripping Springs, TX, Alan Luense of Sioux Falls, SD, Hannah Leigh of Burlington, VT, Mary (Zach) Grossman of Iowa City, IA, Rana Rand of San Francisco, CA, Meredith Rand of Le Mars, IA, Dayton Rand of Le Mars, IA, and Sydney Rand of Le Mars, IA, and two great-grandchildren: Archer and Harleigh Dulin of Dripping Springs, TX. She is also survived by sisters Sharon Strohm of Ames, IA, Rhoda LaScala of Coppell, TX, and Pigeon (Dan) Heuertz of Le Mars, and several nieces and nephews.
Valerie was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents; and her sisters, Glory Fletcher and Carol Sue Holdcroft; and a brother, Tim Lester.