Memorial services for 80-year-old Raymond “Ray” Dale Willard of Windom, Minnesota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, February 28, 2017, at Cornerstone Bible Church in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, with Pastor Nathan Janzen officiating. The church is located at 1019 Prince Street.
Burial with military honors be in the church cemetery in rural Mountain Lake following the service.
Visitation will be at the church on Monday, February 27, 2017, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Raymond “Ray” Dale Willard passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2017, at the Sogge Memorial Good Samaritan Society in Windom.
He was born on July 9, 1936, on the Hudson farm near Rodman, Iowa in Pocahontas County, the son of Raymond and Luella (Buck) Willard. Ray, nicknamed “Bubby,” was the third of six siblings. Those siblings included Donald (MaryLou), Lydia (Jim), (Louis), Dennis (Linda), Linda (Elwin), Lois (Jerry) and Keith.
In 1944, the family moved to the Mears farm near Mountain Lake, Minnesota. Ray attended Sanborn (Iowa) Lutheran School, Country School near Mountain Lake and Comfrey Public High School.
In 1956, Ray joined the United States Air Force. On June 6, 1959, while he was home on leave to visit his dying father, he married Edith “Ede” Mueller, whom he had met through writting letters. They were married in the Old Country Church near Mountain Lake. Ede went with him to Petaluma, California when he returned from his leave. Their first child, a daughter, Rebecca, was born in Petaluma in May 1960.
Ray was wounded in Formosa, Taiwan, during the Koren Conflict while serving as an aircraft mechanic. Some of his friends were killed during this attack.
When Ray’s enlistment was up, he and his family returned to Minnesota. Ray worked for Harry Marks on a farm near Delavan, Minnesota for two years, and then worked for Albert Hermann as his hired man for 20 years.
Three more children were born to Ray and Ede in those years on the Delavan farm. Ronald was born in 1962, Annette in 1967 and Stephen in 1972.
When Albert Hermann retired in 1980, Ray, Ede, Ron, Annette and Steve moved to Butterfield, Minnesota, where Ray worked for Nels Pierson Sr. for a short time. The family later moved to Mountain Lake, where Ray worked for Balzer, Inc. and People’s Express until he retired.
Ray loved his wife, enjoyed being with his family and had many friends. He was very involved in the churches he attended. He served as Deacon, Trustee and Sunday School Teacher. Ray and Ede sang many duets together throughout the years at the Delavan Baptist Church in Delavan, First Baptist Church in Blue Earth, Minnesota and Cornerstone Bible Church in Mountain Lake. he was also a member of the Mountain Lake American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Ray is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ede; daughter, Rebecca “Becky” (Steve) Robbins; son, Ron (Leslie); daughter, Annette Wilson and son, Steve (Robyn); grandchildren, Dan (Mandy) Robbins, Jennie (Darren) Esser, Danielle (Rusty) Larson, Heather Jo (Ryan) Creighton, Kylie (Louis) Norell, Faith Willard, Madison Willard, Cody Willard, Kate Wilson and Kelsey Wilson; great-grandchildren, Bella Larson, Javen Larson and Grace Robbins; siblings, Lois (Jerry) Matthews and Keith Willard; sisters-in-law, MaryLou Willard and Linda Willard; cousins, nieces and nephews and numerous friends.
Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers, Don and Dennis and sisters, Linda and Lydia.