Dolores Herrmann

Dolores Herrmann

Dolores Helen Penney Herrmann was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 16, 1930, the second of three children to Veril Thomas Penney and Helen Roxy Stevenson. She died on November 24, 2014, in Kirksville, Missouri.

Dolores spent her childhood in Des Moines, where her father was an engineer for Bell Labs. She was an excellent student and graduated from Roosevelt High School.

Dolores then attended Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, where, as she would later say, she attained her "Mrs." In 1948 Dolores met her future husband Ed, and the two began their lifelong affection for and commitment to each other. Dolores married Ed in June 1950, and the two never spent a night apart for the next 63 years.

While Ed studied at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dolores worked at the telephone company and managed the young couple's threadbare finances. They moved to Crawfordsville, Iowa in 1953 where Ed was the doctor, Dolores raised their two children, and the two of them taught others how to play bridge.

In 1963 Ed and Dolores moved the family back to Kirksville where Ed returned to KCOM to study surgery. When Ed and other doctors formed a partnership, Dolores became the bookkeeper. As Ed's career developed, Dolores was able to explore her interests in art and interior design. She loved decorating her house and arranging furniture, and eventually acquired an impressive collection of antiques and art works. Dolores enjoyed reading fiction, history, and biographies; her favorite subjects were Lincoln, Churchill, and the British monarchy. She continued to play bridge throughout her life, both with Ed and with two different weekly bridge groups.

Dolores was a loyal fan of the New York Yankees. She and Ed maintained a teasing rivalry over their favorite teams, with Dolores usually winning their annual $1 bet.

While deeply religious and committed to her Christian faith, Dolores was also extremely respectful of other beliefs. One of her favorite paintings was Norman Rockwell's depiction of people of various faiths praying together.

Dolores was preceded in death by her brother Herbert, and is survived by her sister Sherry, who lives in Tyler, Texas; her son Ed and grandson Harry, who live in Chicago; her daughter Debbie, last known to be living near Washington, DC; and cousins, nieces and nephews in Texas, California, Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee.

Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday (December 3, 2014) at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home with Chaplain Carrol Davenport officiating. Burial will be in Park View Memorial Gardens.

Visitation with be from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday at the

Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home
2100 E. Shepherd Ave.
Kirksville, MO 63501 660-665-2233