Valerie Jayne Gerdes Lemme

Valerie Jayne Gerdes Lemme, of Highland Park, Illinois, passed away Nov. 20, 2025. Beloved wife to Michael William Lemme for 37 years, they were married April 23rd, 1988. She is survived by her husband, children Christopher, Matthew, and Annemarie, her mother Rosie Gerdes (nee Lauden), her sisters Karen and Sandra Gerdes, and siblings-in-law Peter and Jane Lemme. She was preceded in death by her father George Gerdes, parents-in-law Harry and Mary Lemme (nee Natta), brother-in-law Neil Lemme, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Born November 30th, 1956 in Mason City, Iowa, to George and Rosie, she attended high school in Klemme, Iowa, graduating in 1975 and then earned her bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University in 1979.

Valerie held jobs in agriculture related fields in Fort Dodge, Eldora, and Thompson, Iowa. She then attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned her Master of Landscape Architecture.

She became a professional Landscape Architect in the State of Illinois, where she worked for the cities of Highland Park, Glenview, and Elk Grove. She also had her own landscape design business and taught classes at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. She joined her husband in retirement in 2022.

Valerie was a passionate gardener, reader, traveler, and cook. She loved designing parks for children to play in and was always trying to make the world a brighter, happier place. She took immaculate care of her garden and was always happy to talk to neighbors about it. She loved spending time back in Iowa on the family farm, visiting with friends and family. In retirement, she and Mike would spend time traveling the country, visiting friends, seeing landmarks, and making memories together. While at home, she loved to cook and bake, and rest by the fireplace with a cup of tea, her dog, and a good book.

In Spring of 2026, Celebration of Life services will be held at Kelley and Spalding Funeral Home in Deerfield, Illinois and her hometown of Klemme, Iowa, with more details to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter in Deerfield, Illinois or to the Food Bank of Iowa.