ADAMS, Kasaundra (1963-2020)

ADAMS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 5/4/2020 at 10:24:32

Kasaundra Sue Adams
(July 5, 1963 - January 15, 2020)

Kasaundra Sue Adams, 56, of Indianola/Norwalk, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at Mercy One Medical Center in Des Moines, with family by her side. Services will be held on Tuesday, January 21, at 7 p.m. at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola. Visitation will be prior to the service 4 to 7 p.m., with family present to greet friends 5 to 7 p.m.
Kasaundra was born July 5, 1963 in Sumner, Iowa, to Doyle and MaryAnn (Waterhouse) Adams. She grew up in Indianola and graduated from Indianola High School in 1981. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Kasaundra pursued a career in nursing, beginning with a BSN degree from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1985. Following her first assignment in Midland, Texas she became a traveling nurse. Her traveling career took her all across the United States, to Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands. She made friends and became family to so many along the way but still considered the Midwest home. Kasaundra settled in Gladstone, Missouri in 1992, where she worked in the emergency departments of two different hospitals in the Kansas City area. It was there that she developed a love of teaching as she oriented new nurses and taught special skills classes. After returning to school and receiving her master’s degree, Kasaundra moved to Norwalk, Iowa in 2013, becoming a nursing instructor at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines. While teaching fulfilled most of her ambitions, Kasaundra missed the interaction with, and care of, patients. She decided to become a nurse practitioner where she would be better able to put her nursing and teaching skills to use. While still teaching full-time, proctoring final exams, picking up extra clinical shifts, and helping her students review for the NCLEX, she managed to complete all of her classes, clinical hours, and passed the boards to become a nurse practitioner in the fall of 2018. This past year, Kasaundra continued to work for Mercy College and also began working as a nurse practitioner for Proteus, Inc. and UCS Health Care. She was to begin a new job with Unity Point Health in Marshalltown, Iowa next month. Helping and caring for people was her identity and her passion.
Kasaundra was a big-hearted people-pleaser who dearly loved her friends as much as she loved her family, and was devoted to the various cats she adopted through the years. She loved traveling, reading, audio books, movies, hunting, and the Chiefs. Over the years she attended many Chiefs home games and could tailgate like a pro. She recently developed a love of hockey and wore her Iowa Wild jersey with pride. Many a deer and turkey have fallen as she hunted in southern Iowa with her father, his friends, and her nephews. Having no spouse or children, Kasaundra rarely missed an opportunity to socialize and always had a new recipe/dish she wanted to take. She enjoyed dinner theater, concerts, river float trips, canoeing, and celebrating all the joys of life. She was a friend to everyone and never turned down a request for help.
Kasaundra is preceded in death by her mother, MaryAnn, her grandparents, and an aunt. She is survived by her father, Doyle, sisters Rochelle (Randy) Zimmerman and Marzale (Dave) Fosdick. Kasaundra is further survived by nephews Anthony Graham and Adam Fosdick, and nieces Caitie (Alex) Smith and Ahlea Graham. Additionally, she has two great nieces, Lucy and Ellie Smith. Surviving extended family includes one aunt, one uncle, three cousins, and hundreds of devoted friends that she loved and considered family.
This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/