Herwig, Dolly Ruth (Brause)

Dolly Ruth (Brause) Herwig, daughter of Claude and Iva (Butler) Brause, was born April 2, 1922, in West Union, Iowa. Dolly passed away Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, at Good Samaritan Home, West Union. Funeral services for Dolly will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, with visitation one hour before, at Bethel Presbyterian Church, West Union, with the Rev. Galen Smith officiating. Interment will be at West Union Cemetery.

Dolly married Ray Herwig in 1945. They resided in Wadena. Dolly worked for the Fayette County Union newspaper and she also helped Ray run the Locker. After Ray's death, she moved to West Union in the late 1980s and worked at the Fayette County Union. She most recently resided at the Good Samaritan Home in West Union.

Dolly was a member of the Bethel Presbyterian Church for over 50 years and was also a hospice volunteer. In 1995, she was named to the “Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame” at the Iowa State Fair.

Dolly enjoyed fishing, putting puzzles together and Brause breakfast cookouts in the great outdoors. She visited every state, except Hawaii.

Dolly is survived by her sister-in-law, Sara Brause; four nephews, Dave (Peg) House, Tom House, Duane (Mary) Brause and Bill (Sally) Brause; two nieces, Nancy (Marty) Stanbrough and Ann Brause; as well as great-nephews, great-nieces and a great-great-nephew.

She was preceded in death by an infant brother, Wayne; her parents; her brother, Harry Brause; her sisters, Carol House and Nancy Murphy; and her husband, Ray Herwig.

The Burnham-Wood and S.K. Rogers Funeral Home, West Union (563) 422-3615, is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be left at

Published Dec. 23, 2011, in The Gazette