Kelly (Blanche) Herrera

April 21, 2014

Service Details

Kelly (Blanche) Herrera passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, April 21, 2014. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., with an 8 p.m. Rosary, on Thursday, April 24, 2014, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens. Her funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. also at the funeral home.

She was born on January 26, 1931 in Des Moines, Iowa, to Emil and Marie Dressic. She lived in the Des Moines area all of her life. Her greatest accomplishment was the raising of her nine children. Kelly was a very feisty woman, and lived a fulfilling life. She loved nothing more than to have her family gathered around her. She loved to cook; having spent many years teaching and passing on the family recipes to her daughters and granddaughters. She adored her grandbabies and great-grandbabies, and would spend hours as a volunteer at Iowa Methodist Hospital rocking newborn babies in the nursery. She loved a good bloody beer and enjoyed listening to her police scanner and reading magazines such as “The National Enquirer.” She was an avid fan of the Eagles, .38 Special, and most of all Bob Seger. She was a devout Catholic woman, most especially devoted to Padre Pio. She prayed every morning for her children and grandchildren that they might stay out of trouble and be safe. She will be greatly missed.

Kelly is survived by her sister Margie Helm; her children, Jackie Lynn Brown (Doug), Yolanda Kolarik (Robert), Tom Herrera (Joy), Skip Herrera, Martha Rowley (Roger), Joe Herrera (Nancy), Michael Herrera (Patrice), Miki Reinier, Brad (Jill) Herrera. She also leaves a beautiful legacy of 31 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sisters and brothers, a daughter Mary Ellen, and a son-in-law Phil Reinier.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church in loving memory of Kelly.

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