Donald Edward WILL

WILL, LENZ, STRAYER, HUSCHKA, DITTBRENNER, GIGG, KRAFT, STRATTON, JOHNSON, OPPOLD, ADAMS, HOOD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/8/2008 at 12:13:18

Memorial service for Donald E. 'Don' Will, 79, is at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Steven Turner officiating. Honorary bearers are Jason Butcher, Jay Huschka, Chad Huschka, Sharon Hood, Darla Packard, Melissa Toomsen and Amanda Gigg.

Donald Edward Will, son of Walter and Cora Lenz Will, was born December 4, 1924, at Algona. He graduated from Algona High School in 1942 then served with the Merchant Marines during World War II. Following his discharge from the military in 1946, Don returned to Algona and worked as a meat cutter at Sorensen's Grocery. He was married to Virginia Strayer at Algona on January 9, 1949. They moved to Coalville, IA in 1953 and lived there until moving to Renwick in 1962. The Wills owned and operated the Renwick Grocery nine years. Their next move was to Hardy. They owned and operated the locker there. Don and Virginia built a new home in 1991 and moved to Loon Lake, Near Jackson, MN where they lived until coming back to Algona in 1995. While living at Hardy and Renwick, Don served on the town council, the church council and was water commissioner at Hardy. Don enjoyed fishing, golfing and woodworking. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Don became a resident of the Good Samaritan Center at Algona in October of 2003 and died there Monday evening, February 9 (2004).

Survivors include his wife, Virginia and daughters, Victoria and John Huschka, Cedar Rapids; Donna and Duane Dittbrenner, Council Bluffs; Kathryn and Michael Gigg, Peyton, CO and Janine Kraft, Renwick. There are seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Also surviving are three sisters and a brother, Rita and Frank Stratton, Alexandria, MN; Ruth Johnson, Sibley; Barbara Oppold, Avon Park, FL; Wayne and Pat Will, Madison Lake, MN. One sister-in-law, Thelma Will of Algona, also survives. Don was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Doris Adams, an infant sister and brother, James Will and granddaughter, Kristy Hood.

February 12, 2004
Algona Upper Des Moines, Iowa