Our Continuous Care Coordinator

Our support doesn't end when the service is over. We're here for the long-haul, because we know grief is, too.

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What is Continuous Care?

The funeral services are over, but the rollercoaster of grief continues. We believe in Continuous Care, which is a free support service provided by the funeral home for the weeks and months to come.

Understanding grief

Grief is experienced in a multitude of ways. Everyone’s loss is unique, which means there are as many different ways of coping with grief. It is said that grief is like a maze—there are those that may be able to navigate it naturally, while others may feel confused, lost, or may need someone to help them find their way.  We can help you try to make sense of this confusing time. Our Continuous Care Coordinator does not take the place of a certified counselor—they are here to give concrete, practical help.

Discovering hope

Grief is as individual as people. There is no one way to overcome overwhelming grief, but through support and direction, there can be renewal. Grieving requires reflection, care of body and mind, and most importantly, ample time to heal.

Help is Available

Our Continuous Care program features a variety of options for those adjusting to life after a loss. We offer our services to support individuals and families through times of grief and adjustment in a variety of ways:

  • Meet with our Continuous Care Coordinator for support by phone or for a visit
  • Drop in on one of our Thursday support groups
  • Subscribe to the quarterly newsletter, The Care Courier
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Meet the Coordinator

The Rev. Vicki Jolene Reece “Pastor Vicki” graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Child Development. She then graduated from United Methodist’s Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois with an emphasis in Pastoral Care and ordained in 1984. She served churches in Lansing and Wheaton, Illinois, working in youth and young adult ministries.

She met her late husband Wendel while performing his brother’s wedding. They married and moved to Florida where she worked in the Office of Communication for the Catholic Diocese of Orlando as a producer and writer for the television show, “Real to Real.” She also served as a pastor in Sanford, Florida. Since 2000, she has been a pastor in Cedar Falls, Eldora and Jesup. She has companioned individuals and families through the joys of birth, the blessings and challenges of family life, illnesses, and death. She retired in 2017 before beginning her position of Continuous Care Grief Coordinator for Locke Funeral Services, Waterloo, in 2021.

Vicki is proud to be a UNI Panther. Wendel retired from UNI in 2019 and both their daughters graduated from UNI. She has emceed at Sturgis Falls in Overman Park for fifteen years.