Carolyn Kirkegaard

Carolyn "Pepper" Kirkegaard, 83, of Sioux City, surrounded by her family, happily left her earthly home to be with Jesus on 0ct. 9, 2016.
Her going-home celebration will be 2 p.m. Friday at Morningside Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Tom LoVan presiding. There will be a luncheon following. Arrangements are under the direction of Mornignside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
If you are reading this in the newspaper you will know the final part of my journey on earth has come to an end......but I haven't come to an end. The real me, my spirit, will live forever and ever.
As a foreigner in a strange land I have just been passing through this place called earth. I have been forgiven for all my poor and bad choices and Jesus has walked with me through all the situations that were of my choosing and the ones that were not of my choosing. He has never left me, no matter what.
I have, with great anticipation, been living and waiting for the glorious day I could go to my real home in heaven. I am eager to be with my trusted Lord and Savior, Jesus, and all the loved ones that have gone before me. If you miss out on knowing Jesus and living in a personal relationship with Him it will be a great tragedy.
My greatest desire is for each of you reading this to believe this truth: Jesus is the one and only son of God. He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the father except through him (John 14:6). I know from experience you can trust him and if you do you will someday be with him, and me, in heaven. What a time that will be.
Carolyn was born on Dec. 4, 1932, to John Paul and Marjorie (Brooking Brown) Vincent, in Springfield Ill. Her father was the minister of First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City from 1946 to 1951. Carolyn graduated from Central High School and Briar Cliff College, both in Sioux City.
On Nov. 3, 1951, she married Virgil Gordon Kirkegaard. Virgil became on ophthalmologist and practiced in Sioux City.
They had four children, Vinny (Greg), his wife, Sandra, and daughter, Alex, Paige, her husband Randy, and daughters, Kara and Jenna, Sue Ellen and her children, Nathan his wife, Amber their sons, Jag, Rav, and Lex, Ben, his wife, Sam, and their children, Makaila, Virgil, Emma, and Samuel, Andrea, her husband, Kirk, and their son, Winston, and Beth and her wife, June.
Carolyn was passionate about Bible study, classic gospel music, gardening, pottery, needlepoint, watching children be children, and watching birds.
Survivors include her children; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; brother, Grant and his wife, Rita; a brother-in-law; three sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews and their families.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil; her parents; brother, Jack; father and mother-in-law; many brothers and sisters-in-law; two nephews; and a grandnephew.