Merlene Bill Brue
April 30, 1929 — February 5, 2019
Dale “Bill” Merlene Brue, son of Carl and Mathilda (Knudson) Brue, was born on April 30, 1929 on a farm southeast of Manilla, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irwin, Iowa. Bill attended the Irwin Consolidated School and graduated with the class of 1946. On March 22, 1951 he was inducted into the United States Army, where he served as corporal in Tokyo, Japan during the Korean War before being discharged in 1953.
On January 12, 1957, Bill was united in marriage to Peggy Jean Campbell at the Irwin United Methodist Church. To this union, two boys were born: Kurt and Jay. Bill was a longtime Irwin businessman; he worked for the Western Union, West-Irwin Agency and put in over 30 years at the Farmers Savings Bank where he retired.
Bill received a standing ovation as he was awarded Irwin’s outstanding “Citizen of the Year” on March 3, 1991. He was a member of the Irwin School Board for 14 years and a promoter of the Irwin Senior Citizen Home where he served as secretary and treasure for both organizations. He was also a member of the American Legion and served on the Irwin Volunteer Fire and Rescue squad for over 20 years.
In his retirement years, he enjoyed working at the Irwin United Methodist Church doing janitorial work and on Fridays delivering the bulletins to the Kirkman and Defiance churches. Bill loved to travel; going oversees three times and together, Bill and Peggy traveled to all 50 states and he took numerous fishing trips to Canada. Bill found much enjoyment attending his children and grandchildren’s activity events during both high school and college. He was a true sports enthusiast and he absolutely loved watching the local high school sports even if that meant traveling many miles to watch a game.
Surrounded by his loving family, Bill passed away on February 5, 2019 at Elm Crest Assisted Living in Harlan, Iowa attaining the age of eighty-nine years, nine months and six days. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings Harold Brue, Mildred Greiner, Norma Barratt and LaVern Brue.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of sixty-two years Peggy Brue of Harlan, Iowa; sons Kurt Brue and his wife Linda of Omaha, Nebraska and Jay Brue and his wife Mary of Blair, Nebraska; grandchildren: Meghan and her husband Brandon Molitor, Erinn and her husband Steven Steffen and Nathan Brue; great-grandchildren: Rorey, Ames and Micah Molitor; nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.
On January 12, 1957, Bill was united in marriage to Peggy Jean Campbell at the Irwin United Methodist Church. To this union, two boys were born: Kurt and Jay. Bill was a longtime Irwin businessman; he worked for the Western Union, West-Irwin Agency and put in over 30 years at the Farmers Savings Bank where he retired.
Bill received a standing ovation as he was awarded Irwin’s outstanding “Citizen of the Year” on March 3, 1991. He was a member of the Irwin School Board for 14 years and a promoter of the Irwin Senior Citizen Home where he served as secretary and treasure for both organizations. He was also a member of the American Legion and served on the Irwin Volunteer Fire and Rescue squad for over 20 years.
In his retirement years, he enjoyed working at the Irwin United Methodist Church doing janitorial work and on Fridays delivering the bulletins to the Kirkman and Defiance churches. Bill loved to travel; going oversees three times and together, Bill and Peggy traveled to all 50 states and he took numerous fishing trips to Canada. Bill found much enjoyment attending his children and grandchildren’s activity events during both high school and college. He was a true sports enthusiast and he absolutely loved watching the local high school sports even if that meant traveling many miles to watch a game.
Surrounded by his loving family, Bill passed away on February 5, 2019 at Elm Crest Assisted Living in Harlan, Iowa attaining the age of eighty-nine years, nine months and six days. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings Harold Brue, Mildred Greiner, Norma Barratt and LaVern Brue.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of sixty-two years Peggy Brue of Harlan, Iowa; sons Kurt Brue and his wife Linda of Omaha, Nebraska and Jay Brue and his wife Mary of Blair, Nebraska; grandchildren: Meghan and her husband Brandon Molitor, Erinn and her husband Steven Steffen and Nathan Brue; great-grandchildren: Rorey, Ames and Micah Molitor; nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.
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