Auguste was born and grew up on her parents [Carl and Caroline Rurode] farm in Nodaway Twp., Page Co, Iowa. She attended local public school and Immanuel Lutheran School prior to her Confirmation.

She and her husband farmed in Nodaway Twp., Page Co., Iowa until they retired to Villisca, Iowa.

Gussie (as she was commonly called) was a typical Iowa farm wife who had a big garden, canned fruits and vegetables, made her own soap and raised chickens. She had a Banty rooster and hen, with cute little baby chicks. The rooster was fiesty. Reminded the writer of some small men she encountered during her life time. They also had geese. The writer always gave them plenty of room!

Aunt Gussie was no doubt my favorite aunt. She and my mother were closest in age. They lived near enough that we could exchange work such as putting up hay, butchering, etc. The two families played cards often. Pinochle was their favorite--their son Paul and I were allowed to watch but not to tell what cards they held. We also learned to keep score at an early age.

Her Christmas tree was my favorite. It was a little artificial tree much like the one we had at home. The difference was that she decorated it with cookies which she had baked with a small hole so they could be attached with little red ribbon bows. And we got to eat them after Christmas!

They owned a tall cabinet Victrola which I loved to play as soon as I was big enough to turn the crank (no electricity). My favorite record was "Barney Google" with the goo-goo-gooly eyes. I'm surprised they let me play it over and over. When they moved to Villisca, I asked for the record, but one of the grandchildren had already spoken for it.

She had a great sense of humor. One afternoon when the two families were putting up hay, the ladies had just sat down after doing the dishes. A book salesman came. Aunt Gussie took the book, sat in her rocking chair, and calmly began reading it. The salesman was so exasperated that she was reading and not paying attention to his spiel, that he grabbed the book and left.

She was a very heavy lady. She suffered a heart attack several years after they moved to Villisca, possibly having inherited a gene from her father according to her doctor. She told of the small number of calories a day she was allowed--including a jigger of whiskey each day. She did lose weight and continued to live a quiet life. She and Uncle Ernest were visiting their son Paul and his family in Missouri. They were at an evening church service when Paul noticed the bulletin in his mother's hands shaking. She had a final heart attack. A fitting call Home for a great, wonderful lady. [written July 22, 2006]

Funeral Card -

In Loving Memory of AUGUSTA ANNA MARIA HERZBERG

Born in Page County, Iowa, April 11, 1898

Entered Into Rest October 31, 1973 Merriam, Kansas

Services Saturday, November 3, 1973, 2 pm, Mt Calvary Lutheran Church

Officiating - Pastor John Hargreaves

Casketbearers, Darwin Herzberg, Dean Herzberg, Gene Herzberg, Wayne Sunderman, Marrel Sump, Leonard Sunderman

Flowerbearers, Vivian Carlson, Judy Schroeder

Music by the Congregation

In Charge of Register, Opal Milligan

Ushers, Arnold Clausen, Seymour Johnson

Concluding Services, Immanuel Luther Cemetery

In behalf of the family, we wish to express their gratitude for your many acts of kindness evidenced in thought and deed, and for your attendance at this Memorial Service.

Arrangements by Sutphen Funeral Home, Villisca, Iowa.