Ervin Raymond Brownlee

Ervin Raymond Brownlee, age 94, of Carroll passed away on Monday, March 4, 2019 at the Palo County Hospital.

A memorial service will be held at a later date at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carroll with inurnment in the Rose Hill Cemetery near Rockwell City with military honors.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com

Born on April 22, 1924 at rural Manson, Iowa, Ray as he was known to most, was the son of Errington and Wilhelmina (Martens) Brownlee.  He was baptized on the 25 ^th of May, 1924 at St. John’s Lutheran Church of rural Palmer.  He attended country school and graduated from Jolley High School on May 15, 1941.  He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 21, 1943 during WW II and served in the South Pacific aboard the USS Cabbot CVL 28 as a Squadron Parachute Rigger and was honorably discharged on October 26, 1946.

Ray was married to Ruth Brattmiller on November 9, 1947 at Ayrshire, IA.  Ray was manager of Westerman’s Lumber Company for 27 years serving at Rockwell City, Jolly, and Sac City.  Following that they moved to Carroll and taught Building Trades for Des Moines Area Community College in Carroll for 8 years.  In November of 1986 he became a housing inspector specialist for Carroll, Sac, and Ida counties where he served for many years, retiring in 2011 at the age of 86.  Ray enjoyed photography, reunions with family and old Navy shipmates, and carpentry.  He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carroll where he held various offices.  Ray and Ruth moved to Emmetsburg in October of 2018 to be near family.

Ray is survived by his wife Ruth of 71 years of Emmetsberg; two children: Elaine Corwin (Michael) of Bella Vista, AR, and Robert Brownlee of Osceola, IA; two grandchildren: Andrew Long (Laura) of Oklahoma City, OK, and Susie Kelley (Matthew) of Fairfax, VA; four great grandchildren: Warren and James Kelley and Maddie and Della Long; and a brother Donald Brownlee (Marilla) of Rockwell City; two brothers-in-law: James Brattmiller (Hope) of Spirit Lake and California, and Fred Bratmiller of Emmetsberg; and a sister-in-law Doris Rosberg of Wausa, NE; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Brownlee; his mother and father-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brattmiller; two brothers-in-law; and many treasured former shipmates.