Barbara S. Dague
- Obituary
- Services
- Condolences
Barbara S. Dague, age 83, of Dubuque, IA, formerly of Sabula, Clinton and Maquoketa, completed her earthly journey on April 25, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. To honor Barb, a Celebration of Life will be held from 12:00-4:00 p.m., on May 17, 2025, at Boyer Hall, Jackson Co. Fairgrounds, Maquoketa. A private family graveside service will be held at Reeseville Cemetery in Green Island, on June 12, 2025, which would have been Barb and Wayne’s 65th wedding anniversary. The Tri-State Cremation Center is humbly serving the family.
Barb was born on December 4, 1941, in Savanna, IL, daughter to Aksel and Mae Lovina (House) Johnson. In her early years, Barb enjoyed working in the family store and making deliveries with her Dad. Barb loved music, playing the piano and guitar, participating in school band, and was a tap dancer who, along with her sister made appearances on the local radio show. She eventually met and married the love of her life, I. Wayne Dague on June 12, 1960. They were blessed with two daughters to love, guide, and nurture. They had over 55 wonderful years together until Wayne passed in 2015. The couple worked hard and still made time for cards, horses, dancing, civic involvement, and pursuing their passions. Barb was a beautician by trade, an instructor at the Professionals Academy of Science & Beauty, and even dabbled in retail and restaurant work. Barb was a talented seamstress and applied her creative gifts while employed at Timber City Trophy.
She was a long-time and faithful member of the Calvary Lutheran Church in Sabula, a proud member of the Rebekah Lodge and a supporter of the East Central School Boosters. Barb had a green-thumb and one of her beautiful African Violets was recognized at the county fair. Barb loved her pets, baking cookies and time at the card table, whether playing for fun or competing for bragging rights. Family and friends were familiar with her sassy and feisty demeanor but never doubted her commitment to finish the job, and to help others pursue their goals and to stay on the straight and narrow path. Barb’s love was evidenced by the encouragement she offered through helpful words that, at times, felt more like a cattle prod or a 2 X 4.
Those left to cherish Barb’s memory and to carry on Barb and Wayne’s legacy are:
her two loving daughters,
Dagmar (Rick) Merfeld, Dubuque, IA,
and Amanda (Paul) Hook, Fulton, IL;
her ten adored grandchildren,
Erick Merfeld, Dubuque, IA,
Elijah (Sasha) Merfeld, Asbury, IA,
Ehren (Naomi) Merfeld, Oakdale, MN,
Alexandra Herink, Des Moines, IA,
Sean (Sydney) Hook, Marble Hill, MO,
Genevieve Hook, San Diego, CA,
Miah Hook, Clinton, IA,
Bella and Hannah Hook, Fulton, IL,
and Lila Hook, Fulton, IL;
her cherished great-grandchildren,
Sophia Schultz, Brayden and Easton Merfeld, Asbury, IA,
Sawyer and Sullivan Merfeld, Oakdale, MN,
Miah’s baby boy due in August, Clinton, IA,
and “bonus great grand”, Anastasia Smith, Iowa City, IA;
her sister,
Jolinda Hendrix, Tuckerton, NJ;
her in-laws,
Jane Dague, Robert Adney, and Shirley Dague, all of Maquoketa, IA;
along with nieces, nephews, numerous extended family and friends.
Barb was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, I. Wayne; her in-laws, Ival and Helen Dague; brothers-in-law, C. Thomas Hendrix, Ronald “Ross” Dague, Sr., Darrell Manning, and Darrell “Pink” Dague; her sisters-in-law, Delores “Sis” Manning, Ella Adney, and Myrna Dague; her nephew, Christopher Hendrix; and her nieces, Marcia Lyons and Diane Dague.
The family thanks the staff at Hawkeye Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for their compassionate care, along with the excellent service and extraordinary empathy of Dr. Caceres and staff. Special thanks to Charalin Simons for her blessings the past two years.
Online condolences may be shared with Barb’s family at www.tristatecremationcenter.com
To honor Barb, a Celebration of Life will be held from 12:00-4:00 p.m., on May 17, 2025, at Boyer Hall, Jackson Co. Fairgrounds, Maquoketa. A private family graveside service will be held at Reeseville Cemetery in Green Island, on June 12, 2025, which would have been Barb and Wayne’s 65th wedding anniversary.
She was my Aunt Barb. Well…not technically, but that never dawned on me as a child. Proximity was important and she was just 7 miles from home, so I spent more time with my Dad’s first cousin than I did with his sisters, and so, she was my Aunt Barb.
She was cool! She had a hair salon in her house! I would hop up in that chair with a quickness so she could trim up my ends or braid my hair while she gabbed with my Mom. When the time came for me to get my ears pierced, Aunt Barb was at the ready. This was one of the first decisions I made (I thought on my own) that ushered me into growing up. I can still feel the big smile on my face as she spun me around to see those sparkly studs in the salon mirror.
Don’t get it twisted though, Aunt Barb didn’t take any crap. She could be sharp and short with you, if you were horsing around or not keeping with the program. You were going to be polite, and respectful…your darn tootin! Under that crusty exterior I always knew there was a soft center. And so, in exchange for good behavior she would flash me a sly smile or slip me a waggish wink and off I would go to swim on hot days, or practice piano in the “fancy” sitting room when it was cold or rainy. I could sit and stare at her lava lamp for quite awhile too, but don’t touch it!! She whipped up the best mac-n-cheese with hotdogs or a grilled cheese with strawberry jam and there were always oreos with a cold glass of milk for dessert. Heaven!
When my Grandpa House was sick, Melanie and I stayed with Aunt Barb. It was a confusing time that was made bearable by the familiarity of family and the consistency of a routine which she provided, along with Wayne, Dagmar and Amanda. There were some concessions made to the normalcy though. I wanted my hair braided in cornrows so Aunt Barb gave me the pros (which I listened to) and the cons (which I ignored). Then gave Dagmar the green light to give me the hair style I so wanted. OOOOFF! There were lessons learned. Committing to the hours-long process, coping with the pain and enduring the removal outcome. The removal outcome presented as the Bride of Frankenstein without the stripes and resulted in me wearing a stocking cap all day at school, until Aunt Barb could wash my hair that night.
When Grandpa House died, Aunt Barb was right there of course. I’m not sure how it happened but as we left the cemetery, I ended up with her in her van. Again, it was a confusing time made bearable by the familiarity of family as she ushered me out of the cold and back to Grandma’s house.
Time passed as it tends to do. Barb and Wayne moved from Sabula and I careened through my teenage years into adulthood. Of course the regularity of our visits disipated. There were family reunions, milestone celebrations and more funerals. When my first child was born, of course I knew he had to meet Aunt Barb. So we went to the farm and she pinched his cheeks and rocked and coo’d with him. She had a little gift for him, a handmade bunny (which he still has and he’s 27). The last few years her memory started to fail, but when I sat to visit with her, she knew me…every time. That is the familiarity of family. We would reminisce and she would flash her sly smile and drop in a waggish wink and it was as if no time had passed at all.
I was blessed to have a large extended family. I have so many fond memories of time spent with Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and cousins. I miss those times. As our family ages and we add more and more offspring those connections become less frequent and more difficult to incorporate into bustling schedules; so missing my Aunt Barb won’t be a new feeling. Knowing she is no longer in pain and she has been reunited with Wayne will bring an undercurrent of peace to missing her. Until we meet again, thank you for everything, I love you.
Keeping the whole family in my prayers during this difficult time. Jamie
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