KEYSTONE:  Valerie Ann (Wilson) Hermsen, age 51, died peacefully in her sleep from natural causes on Thursday, November 21, 2019, at her home in Keystone.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM, Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone with Pastor B. Andrew Wright officiating.  Family interment will be held at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blairstown.  Visitation will be held from 3:00 until 7:00 PM, Tuesday at St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone.  A memorial fund has been established.

Val was born on June 3, 1968, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Robert and Karen (Swick) Wilson.  She attended Benton Community Schools in grade school, and then graduated from Linn-Mar High School with the class of 1987.  In high school, Val participated in golf and in 1986 was Cedar Rapids Metro Golf Champion.  After graduation, Val was a nanny in California and Iowa for 7 years before returning to Cedar Rapids and marrying Paul Hermsen on January 17, 1997.  The couple later divorced.

Val was a bus driver for Benton Community Schools for the past 17 years, safely transporting many special kids to school!

Val loved her children "to the moon & stars & back", and supported their passion for soccer, coaching many of their teams.  She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church and regularly taught Sunday School.  Val had a soft spot in her heart for all animals.  She provided a loving home to many stray dogs, and cats.

Left to cherish her memory are her sons,  Lance Corporal Hunter Hermsen of Iwakani, Japan, Luke, Keane and daughter, Ragan Hermsen, all at home; her mother Karen (Harley) Noe of Cedar Rapids; sister Carlene (Greg) Silhanek of Keystone; brothers, Robert L. (Linda) Wilson of Urbandale, Justin (Melissa) Wilson of Muscatine; uncle, Bruce (Janice) Swick of Luzerne and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Robert N. Wilson; and her grandparents, Carl and Helen Wilson, and Ivan and Anna Swick.

On-line condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com