Services were Sunday, December 19, in First Mennonite Church, Iowa City, with the Reverends Robert Smith and Margaret Richer Smith officiating. Burial was Monday, December 20, in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Iowa City.

Gretchen Marie Piper, 17, of 1503 Esther Street, Iowa City, died Wednesday, December 15, 1999, in an automobile accident on her way to school.

Services were Sunday, December 19, in First Mennonite Church, Iowa City, with the Reverends Robert Smith and Margaret Richer Smith officiating. Burial was Monday, December 20, in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Iowa City.

Ms. Piper was a senior at Iowa Mennonite School, Kalona, where she was active in choir, children’s drama and Future Problem Solvers. She was on the track team and in the Grant Wood Area Physics Olympics. She also was a member of the compassion group at IMS that raised money for people in need.

She was very involved in First Mennonite Church of Iowa City. She was active in youth groups, Junior Choir and taught Vacation Bible School. She participated in Young Footlighters (a children’s drama group of Iowa City) and was active in Girl Scouts where she earned her silver award and was a leader in training as well as being a program aide at day camp for two years.

She worked as an in-home aide for ARC of Iowa City and had cared for Eli Brenneman, a three-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. She had worked as kitchen staff at Crooked Creek Christian Camp in the summer.

Ms. Piper and her mother Mary were clowns at the Iowa City Public Library and her church on several occasions.

She had plans to attend Kirkwood Community College to study sign language interpretation.

Survivors include her parents Jim and Mary Piper, her brother, Nathan Piper, and her sister, Sarah Piper, all of Iowa City; her grandmothers, Edith Piper of Coralville, Elsa Whetstone of Guthrie Center, and Rose Dillard of Wellman.

She was preceded in death by her grandfathers.

Memorials may be made to Iowa Mennonite School fine arts facilities.

Lensing Funeral Service in charge of arrangements.