Allen Bernard Willers, age 93, of Luverne, passed away July 9, 2024, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage.
Allen was born on November 13, 1930, in Luverne, Minnesota, to Bernard and Edna (Wegner) Willers. He grew up on a farm southeast of Beaver Creek, Minnesota, and attended country school east of Beaver Creek for eight grades. He then moved to Luverne and lived with his grandmother to finish high school. He graduated from Luverne High School in 1948. He attended Mankato Business for two years prior to being drafted into USMC.
Allen married Lillian L. Deitermann on January 23, 1952, and they lived most of their lives on a farm near Beaver Creek, Minnesota. They moved to Luverne in 1996. Allen was drafted in 1952 into the United States Marine Corps for service in the Korean War. They moved to San Diego, California, where they lived for several months prior to his deployment to Korea.
After serving in Korea, Allen was released from active service in 1954 and served in the Marine Reserve until 1960. He returned to Beaver Creek where he farmed for the next 60-plus years. Allen also worked as Beaver Creek rural mail carrier, served in the Minnesota Army National Guard (20 years), served as foster parent and foster grandparent, Luverne school crossing guard, St. Catherine’s Eucharistic Minister, and prison ministry. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and served on the Beaver Creek Township Board and Supervisor.
Allen enjoyed playing cards, square dancing, reading western and military books; though the main loves of life were his wife and farming. He was devoted husband, and loved his children, 11 grandchildren, and 30 great-grandchildren.
Allen is survived by his four children, Mark (Karen) Willers, Beaver Creek; Sharon (Tom) Wieneke, Jackson; Michael (Kristy) Willers, Beaver Creek; Barbara (Regg) Glawe, Arlington, SD. Eleven grandchildren: Brad (Cate) Willers, Patricia Willers (Mario Miranda), Nicole (Kyle) Woodley, Natalie (Robert) Golden, Patrick (Kaisa) Wieneke, Maria (Matthew) Bezdicek, Sandra (Tom) Bosch, Anthony Willers (Katelyn Jindra), Nathan (Abbigale) Glawe, Alyssa (Auger) Goma, and Rebecca Glawe. Thirty great-grandchildren: Lillian & Owen Willers; Hannah, Emmett, Felicity, & Aidan Woodley; Alexander Golden; Clare & Lila Wieneke; Karli, Rebekah, & Lauren Bezdicek; Daxter, Chandler, Hugo, & Atlas Bosch; Reagan Willers; Madelyn, Makayla, Marie, Makenna, Matthew, Malachi, Margaret, Macalister, Matthias, Marian & Marcus Glawe, and Aveline & Ariane Goma; one exchange student, David S. Tamez, Mexico; a foster daughter, Tammy Eugenius, Florida, and dear friends, Harveen & Bruce Gluf.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian (67 years); his parents Bernard and Edna Willers; stepmother, Josephine Willers; an infant daughter, Cheryl Ann Willers; and his brother, Stanford Willers.
Visitation was 4:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne with parish prayers at 7 p.m. Visitation was also one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Funeral Mass was at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Catherine Catholic Church, in Luverne, officiated by Monsignor Gerald Kosse. Burial, with full military honors was provided by the Luverne American Legion and VFW at St. Catherine Cemetery in Luverne.
Memorials are preferred to the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage or the Adrian Country Living Cottages.