Obituaries : Vionne (Vi) Nequa Darsee

Vionne (Vi) Nequa Darsee, 91, passed peacefully from this life on September 20, 2025 at Oaknoll in Iowa City.

Born on July 25, 1934, in Atkins, Iowa to John and Viola (Jones) Jennings, Vionne starred at Atkins High School, earning all-conference and all state basketball honors averaging 32 points a game her senior season. As a freshman at the University of Dubuque focused on religious studies, Vionne met David Darsee and six months later the two married on July 18, 1953.

A lifelong spiritual seeker, Vionne held positions as a religious educator with various congregations, including the United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, NY and Zion Lutheran Church in Des Moines, IA.

An enthusiastic athlete, Vionne won countless gold medals at the Iowa Senior Olympics and played granny basketball and tennis into her 80’s.

Renowned for her effervescence, curiosity and uncompromising positivity, Vionne -a long time resident of Clive, had a gift for making those she met feel special. She contemplated humanity on a global scale; passionately volunteering and supporting the Heifer International nonprofit and the World Food Prize Foundation. She was active in the Des Moines Democratic Party, tirelessly committed to the Valley United Methodist Church in West Des Moines, while also serving in leadership roles within the Friends of Iowa Women Prisoners. Her environmental advocacy in the late 1970’s was instrumental in establishing the Clive Greenbelt Park.

Vionne was the proud parent of: Scott (Johanna) Hongell-Darsee, Kristin (David) Trapp, Jon (Polly Price) Darsee, and Kent (Nancy) Darsee; the proud grandparent of: Daniel Trapp, Stephen (Jamie) Trapp, Callan (Jeremy Juszczak) Price, Abigail Napp, Zoe Darsee, Jenna Darsee, Ella Darsee and Cohen Darsee; the proud great grandparent of: Emma, Sophia, Harlow, Claire, Michael, Nathan, Renaud and Felix; she is survived by her loving sisters: Kathy Jamison, Andrea Robinson and Angela Beitling; plus her loving, kindred family: Claudia (Gil) and Amalia (Ishaan Pujari) Webber. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Delores Dingman and Jackie Oxley, and her husband, David.

Visitation will be held at 10:30am on Monday, October 20, 2025 at Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church in Atkins, Iowa. The funeral service will begin at 11:30am. Committal Ceremony will follow at Raetz Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church to be used for perpetual care of Raetz cemetery and future church endeavors and Heifer International (www.heifer.org).