Carol Geneve Groe Willand

Carol Geneve (Groe) Willand, 93, passed away Tuesday, July 5, 2016, surrounded by the love of her family at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, Iowa. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 PM, Monday, July 11, 2016 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Joice, with Pastor Bill Peters officiating.  Military honors will be conducted by Lake Mills Otto/Chose American Post #235. Visitation will be Sunday, July 10, 2016, from 3-6 PM at Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street, in Lake Mills and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Cremation will follow the funeral service, and inurnment will be at Sion Lutheran Cemetery, rural Lake Mills, at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of North Iowa, 232 2nd St. SE, Mason City, IA, 50401.
Carol Geneve Groe was born in Silver Lake Township on November 12, 1922, daughter of Gilman and Cora (Troe) Groe.  She was baptized in Silver Lake Lutheran Church and confirmed in Sion Lutheran Church.  Carol attended country grade school and graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1940.  After graduation, she taught country school in Worth county until she enlisted in the Navy on November 2, 1944.  She completed Navy training in The Bronx, NY and served as a Wave in Washington D.C. until her discharge on April 12, 1946.  
She was married to Stanley (Bud) Willand at Sion Lutheran Church on January 12, 1947.  
Carol and Bud lived and farmed in rural Joice.  She loved work and life on the farm and also enjoyed bowling, dancing, golfing, gardening, walking, and mowing the lawn.  Carol was a member of Sion Lutheran and Bethany Lutheran Churches and liked working and quilting in the church.  She enjoyed volunteering for Hospice of North Iowa and loved the hospice community.
Carol loved spending time with her family, grandchildren, and friends.  She was known for her wonderful lefse, flatbread, apple pie, and rolls.
Carol felt lucky to join the first Winnebago Honor Flight for WWII veterans to Washington, D.C. in 2009.  She was grateful to have the experience to serve in the military and proud to be a veteran. She thoroughly enjoyed her tour of duty and was honored to have her name on the monument in Arlington Memorial Park in Lake Mills.
Carol leaves three children to cherish her memory, daughter Candace Low and Doug Sabinash of Northwood, daughter Cynthia Swanson and husband, Wally of Mora, MN, and son Craig Willand and wife, Karen of Penfield, NY.  She had a deep love for her grandchildren, Cory Low (Amy Rindels), Ashley Swanson Johnson (David), Alyson Swanson Loeffler (Eric) and Gage Willand.  She leaves three sisters, Shirley Holstad of Clear Lake, Marjorie Myhr of Dothan, AL, and Jean Wilson of Briceyln, MN; one brother, Dennis Groe of Cuera, TX; four sisters-in-law, Fern Willand, Evelyn Groe and Lovenea Groe of Lake Mills and Myrtle Tapps of Mason City; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends.
Carol was preceded in death by her husband, Bud, six brothers: Gene, Orlin, Raymond, Lester, Gaylord and Noreen; one sister, Irene McDowell; three sisters-in-law: Norma Groe, Helen Groe and Gladys Groe; and three brothers-in-law: Dale Holstad, Sam Wilson and Roy Myhr.
 

Lake Mills Graphic

204 N. Mill Street
Lake Mills, IA 50450

Office Number: (641) 592-4222
Fax Number: (641) 592-6397

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