Dougherty, Clara Margaret Wasser 'Peg'

Clara Margaret Wasser “Peg” Dougherty, 88, a resident of the Belle Plaine Nursing Home in Belle Plaine, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday, May 12, 2013, at the nursing home. Services at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Entombment at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Peg was born on March 20, 1925, in Neichen, Germany, the daughter of Jacob and Clara Kraemer Wasser. The family immigrated to the United States in 1928. They resided in the Waterloo area. Two brothers, Joseph, born in 1932; and John Bertram, born in 1938, were added to the family.

Peg attended school at St. John's and Our Lady of Victory Academy in Waterloo. She continued her education by entering nurses training at Mercy School of Nursing graduating in 1946. After graduation, Peg worked at Mercy Hospital for over 34 years, retiring in 1980.

She married George Dougherty in April 1947. George became a member of the Cedar Rapids Police Department and they remained in Cedar Rapids until 1980 when both retired and moved to Belle Plaine.

Peg is survived by her adopted son, Bill VanErsveldt and his wife, Mary and their son, Jeff; a brother, John “Bert” Wasser and his wife, Edie; two nieces and a nephew all of Missouri; a sister-in-law, Sally;, two nephews; a niece and their families from Ohio.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; a brother, Joseph; and a nephew, Rick Wasser.

Memorial donations may be given to the American Cancer Society.

Please leave a message to Peg's family on the Web page, under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette May 14, 2013.