Sinde Sue Springer

Sinde Sue Springer of Des Moines reached the end of a life well lived on Nov. 5, 2025. She was 75.
Sinde was born in Des Moines on Aug. 24, 1950, to Patricia Jane McAlister Springer and Robert Springer. She was the second of two children. The family moved throughout the Midwest during her childhood, a challenge for Sinde but one that ultimately strengthened her character and nurtured the kindness others in her life deeply valued. Her childhood years in Chicago's Oak Park neighborhood also sparked her eye for design.
Sinde married Scott Berry in 1984, and the couple raised their blended family in historic homes in Des Moines, including a restored Victorian in the city's Owl's Head District. Her ability to roll with almost anything served the family well in those years, which they recall as boisterous, fun, and anchored by Sinde's consistency.
One of Sinde's greatest gifts was hospitality. She had an effortless creativity that she poured into her homes, combining vintage finds with natural materials to create atmospheres that felt warm and welcoming. She threw lively, beautiful parties and made it look easy. And if you were lucky enough to be her neighbor, you were blessed with a confidante who would welcome you into her cozy kitchen any time with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, an open mind, and an understated humor that would quickly put your concerns into perspective.
Sinde loved dogs and welcomed many into her life, including seven rescues - five greyhounds, a French bulldog, and a bichon frise. An all-time favorite dog was Clara, a white boxer who accompanied her on runs through the tree-shaded streets in the South of Grand area. She enjoyed tennis, bowling, swimming, and golf, and sank a hole in one (family legend has it that she was barefoot at the time!) at Des Moines' Grandview Golf Course. She also completed RAGBRAI on a classic Schwinn bike with whitewall tires.
As a volunteer, Sinde preferred one-on-one roles. She met with young mothers for Lutheran Social Services and registered new arrivals for the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Planned Parenthood of Iowa, and Kavanagh House Des Moines. She also served as a commissioner for the Historic Preservation Commission for the City of Des Moines in the late 1990s and early 2000s. More recently, she cared for mother cats and their litters for a kitten rescue in Southern California while enjoying a winter there near her brother, Scott, and sister-in-law, Michelle.
Above all, Sinde nurtured relationships by showing up and making time. She was close to her brother throughout her life, traveling to his homes in Oak Park and River Forest, IL, to watch his sons' baseball games and spend time with them. Long after moving from the Owl's Head neighborhood, she returned to join friends for croquet and tennis tournaments. And she remained close to Scott Berry's extended family even after the two were no longer married, always willing to share a shopping adventure, offer a spare bedroom, or throw a birthday party.
She considered her three grandchildren among the greatest joys of her life, welcoming them for overnights when they were little, celebrating their birthdays and milestones as they grew, and marveling at the ambitious, kind, and fun young adults they became.
Sinde is survived by her children, Kyle Seiling and Kymberly Goldstein Galligan; her grandchildren, Stella, Leo, and Scarlett Galligan and their father, Brian Galligan; her brother, Scott (Michelle) Springer and nephews Ian, Austin, and Alex; ex-husband Scott Berry and his sons, Cory and Brian Berry, his brother, Brent Berry, and his nieces, Kate Lister Campbell and Shannon Lister.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Patricia Jane McAlister Springer; her cousin, Kim Garbett; and Scott Berry's sister, Lisa Lister.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Iles Dunn's Chapel, located at 2121 Grand Avenue. The service will be livestreamed and online condolences are welcomed on her obituary page at www.IlesCares.com.
Memorial donations can be made to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
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