In Loving Memory
Dorothy Brownlee

VISITATION
Sunday, December 18, 2016
3:00 - 6::00 P.M.
Martin-Mattice Funeral Home
Emmetsburg, Iowa

SERVICE
Monday, December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M.
Bethany Lutheran Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa

CLERGY
Rev. Peter Morlock

INTERMENT
Evergreen Cemetery
Emmetsburg, Iowa

Dorothy Marie McDonald Brownlee, daughter of Arthur Rufus McDonald and Marie Sadie (Strasser) McDonald was born in Des Moines, Iowa on March 15, 1918. She died November 1, 2016 in Emmetsburg, Iowa. She was baptized January 21, 1923 and confirmed on January 1, 1931 at First Congregational Church in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

Her family moved to Portage County, Wisconsin where they farmed briefly and her brother was born. In 1922 she moved to Emmetsburg with her parents, younger sister Betty and baby brother, Marvin.
In Emmetsburg she had a pony as a child making her the envy of her great grandchildren. Her family had a wooden icebox cooled year round with ice from Five Island Lake.

At age 12 Dorothy started working at McDonald's 5 and 10 Cent Store, owned by her father, Art McDonald, on the corner of Main and Broadway (now the Cornerstone Pub). Her first job was selling candy from large bins in a glass case. She weighed the candy and put it in bags for customers. She said she thought she ate her salary in candy! Later she and her siblings worked for several years as clerks in this store on Saturdays and during the summer.

Dorothy graduated from Emmetsburg High School in 1935 and later from Emmetsburg Junior College. She continued her education at the University of Chicago School of Business and graduated from Carlton College in Northfield, Minnesota with a major in Economics.

On October 25, 1940 Dorothy and Leo Herold Brownlee were married at the First Congregational Church in Emmetsburg. They made their home and raised their family in Emmetsburg. For a while she worked as bookkeeper for the three-generation family business, the Brownlee Implement Company.

She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church and belonged to the Mary Circle at Bethany. She was active in the AAUW and several bridge clubs. For many years, she had a large garden, canning and freezing produce from it for the winter months. She even shipped some of her delicious homegrown tomatoes to Texas. She especially loved birds, watching them, listening to them and learning about them and would happily tell you about them.

She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, playing bridge, cooking and knitting. She knitted beautiful Christmas Stockings for her grandchildren to leave for Santa to fill with lots of goodies. She is especially famous with her grandchildren for yummy English Toffee, fruitcake with lots of cherries, and cinnamon rolls. Her family scattered across the United States but she faithfully sent personal letters, carefully chosen birthday gifts, English Toffee and fruitcake to each and everyone.

Dorothy is survived by a son Ronald Arthur and wife Jane Eileen (McMillin) of Houston, Texas, and daughter- in-law, Linda Marie Lenoch Brownlee of Scottsdale, Arizona; grandchildren Tracy Marie Brownlee Chambellan of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kim Rae Brownlee Barth and husband Scot of San Dimas, California, Richard Arthur Brownlee and wife Carla of Katy, Texas, Julia Elizabeth Brownlee Royster and husband Jason of Silver Spring, Maryland, Jennifer Elsa Brownlee Gustafson and husband Trent of Georgetown, Texas, Charles Collin (C.C.) Brownlee and wife Allison of Katy, Texas; twelve great grandchildren, Robert, James, Michael, and Candace Chambellan, Charlotte and Rebecca Brownlee, Tegan and Kylie Royster, Luke and Audra Gustafson, and Emma and Colin Charles (C.C.) Brownlee.
She was preceded in death by her husband Leo Herold, her son Robert William (1943-2000), her parents, her sister Betty McDonald and brother Marvin McDonald.

Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home