Dawn, the daughter of Edgar and Phyllis DeVries, was born on October 31, 1959 in Monterey, California. Her childhood years were spent in Texas, Rhode Island, and Florida while her father served in the United States Navy. As a young teenager, she moved to Sheldon, Iowa, where she graduated from Sheldon High School in 1977. She then attended South Dakota State University, where she graduated in 1981, majoring in music and minoring in biology. She married Dick Seeley on August 25, 1979, and the couple lived in Brookings until 1982, when they moved to Florida, where their first child, Michelle, was born. In 1989, the family moved to Spencer, Iowa, where Michael and Laura were born and the family made their home. She loved spending time with her family, especially baking cookies with her granddaughter, Brooklynn.
Her love for music touched many lives. A lifelong educator, Dawn taught music in Ramona, South Dakota, Jacksonville, Florida and Spencer, Iowa. Outside the classroom, she gave private lessons, inspiring students with her passion. She loved spending her time volunteering at Spencer High School preparing kids for All-State and other music festivals. Beyond teaching, she was also an accomplished musician herself. She was the principal oboist in the Cherokee Symphony Orchestra, a regular performer in pit orchestras for Spencer Community Theater and Spencer High School, a frequent soloist and accompanist for churches in NW Iowa, and she even performed with Manheim Steamroller at their recent concert in Spencer.
Dawn was an active member of Hope Reformed Church in Spencer and showed Christ's love through her passion for helping others in everyday life. To honor her love for God's people, please consider doing an act of kindness for someone in Dawn's memory.
Dawn is survived by her husband, Dick, her children Michelle and Dustin Reynolds of Ruthven, IA, Michael and Mandy Seeley of Lincoln, NE, and Laura Seeley of Spencer, IA; grandchildren: Brooklynn Reynolds and Brayden Reynolds; her parents, Edgar and Phyllis DeVries of Sheldon, IA; sister, Debbie and Byron Carter of Jacksonville, FL; brother, Jeff and Angie DeVries of Boone, IA; other relatives and many friends.
SERVICES
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 A.M., on Saturday, January 3, 2015 at Hope Reformed Church in Spencer.
OFFICIATING
Pastor Russell Muilenburg
CASKET BEARERS
Keith Dahlen
Craig Dahlen
Matthew Carter
Christopher DeVries
Thomas Carter
John DeVries
VISITATION
Will begin at 4:00pm on Friday with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00pm at Hope Reformed Church in Spencer.
MUSIC
Congregational Hymns
'His Eye Is On The Sparrow'
'Come Thou Fount'
'Behold Our God'
'How Great Is Our God'
Solo's
'Untitled Hymn' by Steve Steele
'He Is Faithful' by Kristin Morrison
CD Cherokee Symphony
'Vivaldi's Gloria'
INTERMENT
Riverside Cemetery
Spencer, Iowa