Willard Neiderhauser Obituary

Willard G. Neiderhauser (some friends and co-workers knew him as Chris) of rural Lake City, passed away at age 94 on Thursday, April 12, 2018 at Mayo Clinic Health System, Lake City Care Center.
    Willard was born on June 4, 1923 to Frederick and Emma (Holenweg) Neiderhauser in Spring Lake Township, Wis. Willard attended Spring Valley High School. At the start of his junior year, he had to leave school to work on the family farm due to his father’s illness. As a young man, Willard worked in his father’s cheese factory making cheese boxes. After his father’s death, Willard and his brother, Fred, operated the family farm. Later, Willard attended the John Deere school for diesel mechanics. Willard had many jobs, including driving semi-tractor trailers to the east coast, farming, carpentry work for various contractors and worked for John Deere in River Falls, Wis. Willard stated he never had a job he didn’t like, but farming was his favorite.
    Willard married Bertha Wurst on Dec. 20, 1951 at the United Methodist Church in Lake City. They first lived in Spring Valley, Wis. then moved to Red Wing. Over the years, Willard and Bertha lived in Maiden Rock, Wis., again in Red Wing; Dixon, Mo. and settled on a farm in Lake City for more than 30 years.
    In 1986, Willard and Bertha traveled to Switzerland to visit relatives and tour the towns of Herzogenbuchsee and Ruti by Riggisberg, where his parents were born.
    Willard is survived by a sister, Pearl (Victor) Ducklow of Spring Valley, Wis.; sister-in-law, Nancy Neiderhauser of Combined Loks, Wis.; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends and neighbors.
    He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Bertha (Wurst) Neiderhauser; his parents, Frederick and Emma (Holenweg) Neiderhauser; sister, Lydia Ingold; brothers, Walter, Edgar, Frederick, and LaSalle Neiderhauser, brother-in-law, Victor Ducklow; sisters-in-law, Florence (Edgar) Neiderhauser and Alma (Frederick) Neiderhauser; several nieces and nephews.
    A funeral service will be Tuesday, April 17, at 11 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Lake City with Rev. Phillip Schmidt officiating. Burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
    Mahn Family Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Online condolences can be sent to www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.