Valerie J. Schultz

Born Valerie Jean Martens, July 1, 1966, to Nona Jill Martens and Gordon Louis Martens, Valerie Schultz passed from this world to the arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Oct. 22, 2021.  Valerie ended her incredibly courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer when she died quietly in her sleep at home in Van Meter, Iowa.  Mourning her loss but celebrating her life are: her husband, Ben Schultz; her son, Caleb Schultz; her adopted daughter, Emily Lucylle Schultz (Emmie Lu); her adopted son, Riley James Schultz (RJ); her brother, Daniel Martens; her sister-in-law, Kathy Martens; and a host of other family and friends too numerous to name here.

Valerie grew up in Booneville, Iowa and attended Van Meter High School, graduating in 1984. She attended DMACC after graduation and eventually graduated from Iowa State University in 1987 with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She met her husband, Ben, at ISU and they were married Jan. 18, 1992.  In 1995, they welcomed their first son, Joshua Benjamin Schultz, and their second son, Caleb Andrew Schultz in 1999.  

Valerie was a passionate follower of Jesus Christ, and a homeschool mother who educated both of her biological sons from preschool to high school graduation.  She also ministered for many years to children and their families by teaching Good New Clubs with Child Evangelism Fellowship, and she and her husband were founding members of the board of the Heartland Chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship in Urbandale, Iowa.  She was known for her love of teaching children and presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to innumerable young people at Vacation Bible School, Good News Clubs, Backyard Bible Clubs, Fair Ministries, AWANAS, Sunday School, and in her home in Des Moines. 

She and her husband, Ben, were foster parents from 2007 to 2018 and were blessed to adopt their beautiful daughter, Emmie Lu, in 2017, and their wonderful son, RJ, in 2019.  Valerie also had a passion for the cause of fighting human trafficking and was a co-founder of the ministry Faithful Envoy with her close friend, Madelyn Plain.  Valerie and Madelyn worked tirelessly to educate the public on the signs of trafficking and ways to combat it, as well as assisting the many other ministries who work in the field assisting victims of trafficking to rebuild their lives.

Valerie was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Jill Martens, who were tragically killed in a car accident on Sept. 7, 2021.  Also preceding her were her maternal grandparents, Everett Hougham and Lucylle (Jungman) Hougham; and her paternal grandparents, Louis Martens and Anna (Boos) Martens.

A visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Urbandale. The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 29,  at Des Moines Fellowship Church in Des Moines. Burial will be immediately after the funeral service at Booneville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Garden Gate Ranch or Jericho Outreach Ministry.