Stephanie Faust

Stephanie Elizabeth Faust, 21, of Grundy Center, passed away on Friday, June 29th. Visitation for Stephanie will be held on Sunday, July 8th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Orchard Hill Church, 1800 G Avenue, Grundy Center, Iowa. The funeral service will be held on Monday, July 9th at 10:30 AM at the Grundy Center High School Gymnasium. A private burial will be held at the Dumont Cemetery following the luncheon. The family encourages that you visit our website at www.abelsfuneralhomes.com  to donate to the funeral fund by clicking 'Appeal for Donations’. Tributes to Stephanie and messages of condolence can be left on the tribute wall on our website.

Stephanie, her family’s ‘Miracle Baby’, was born on September 26, 1996 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, to her loving parents Steve & Connie (Hudson) Faust. After her birth, the family lived a short time near Dunkerton and then made their home in Grundy Center. Stephanie attended school in Grundy Center and to say she was active in academics and sports would be a huge understatement. She was involved in volleyball, basketball, track and soccer. Soccer was Stephanie’s passion. Many practices and tournaments kept Stephanie very busy but she made sure she had time to study and keep her grades up. She was in the top of her class, being one student to give her high school class commencement speech. She graduated with honors with Grundy Center High School, class of 2015.

After high school, Stephanie went on to study and play soccer at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, where she obtained her undergraduate degree, an  Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies. While playing soccer at Indian Hills, Stephanie was proud to lead her soccer team as Team Captain. After a successful 2 years, Stephanie was awarded a scholarship to Caldwell University in New Jersey, to play soccer. She relocated to New Jersey and attended the University for 1 year before returning home for the summer.

In Stephanie’s free time, she earned her certificate as a personal trainer and worked part time training in New Jersey.

Stephanie was involved in 4-H as a young girl, where she showed bottle calves, lambs, chickens and rabbits.  She was also active in Girl Scouts. Stephanie was an avid animal lover; cats, dogs, you name it. She loved her grandpa, so, so much. So much so, her family said she may loved him the most in the family! She also enjoyed being outdoors, camping, and her family trips to Holland, Michigan in the summers.

For those who knew Stephanie, you would know that she was different than most people. She was a leader-someone who you wanted to know and be friends with. Her passion in life was making a difference. She embraced diversity and cared about people. She always rooted for the ‘Underdog’. With her many soccer experiences, teams and trips, she became friends with many people all over the world, and she loved her international soccer friends. Stephanie was driven, grounded, disciplined, smart and beautiful. The list goes on and on.

Stephanie lived life to the fullest and would want her friends and family to do the same. She believed in making a difference in the world and would want the same for others. Her death is still hard to comprehend but the world was a better place because she was in it. Her light will always shine on and she will be forever loved and missed by her family, friends, and community.

She is survived by her parents Steve & Connie Faust of Grundy Center; her grandpa, Lowell Hudson of Dumont; brothers Jeremy (Kayla) Faust of Iowa City, Matthew (Sarah) Faust of Grundy Center, Mark Faust of Cedar Falls and Jonathan Faust of Grundy Center; aunts and uncles Julie Hass of Rochester, MN, Greg (Roberta) Hudson of Chillicothe, IL, Camille (Greg) Kastli of Waterloo, Sheila Faust of Lakewood, CO, Kathy Rachuy, Steve (Jane) Hanson and Susie Bowers, all of Jesup; many cousins and extended family. Stephanie rejoins in heaven her maternal grandmother Beulah Hudson; paternal grandparents Harold Faust and June (Roy) Hanson; uncle Mike Faust.