Obituary of WillaJean Leu

A funeral service for WillaJean Leu of Spencer and formerly of Sibley, Iowa will be held on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sibley, Iowa. Visitation will take place from noon until 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sibley. WillaJean Leu was born in Dell Rapids, South Dakota, on February 23, 1923 to Lowell L. and Zeo Ramona (Bowles) Williams. She graduated from Dell Rapids High School and was a graduate of General Beadle College (now Dakota State) where she received a two-year teaching degree. She taught elementary school for one year at Round Lake, MN, prior to marrying Oliver H. Leu on June 20, 1943 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brewster, MN. WillaJean and Oliver lived in Brewster, MN, where they owned and operated a Red Owl grocery store from 1943 to 1950. In 1950 they moved to Wilmont, MN, to farm until 1955. In 1955 they purchased a John Deere dealership in Sibley, Iowa. They owned and operated the dealership and appliance shop until their retirement in 1995. In their life together they enjoyed raising a family of five and traveling. WillaJean was a homemaker and bookkeeper at the store, and enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking, camping, playing cards and reading. She was active in church circle and church choir, bridge club, PTA, sewing club and enjoyed attending her children and grandchildren's activities and sports. Oliver died in 2001. WillaJean remained in Sibley until 2013 when she moved to St. Luke's Nursing Home in Spencer, IA, where she passed away on March 4, 2016. WillaJean is survived by her sister Jackie (Rev. Leonard) Haggin; son Frank (Sue) Leu; daughter Renee Tillotson; son Bruce (Jolene) Leu; son Grant (De Linda) Leu; daughter Mona (Phil) Milne; and grandchildren Shelly (Ned) Dau; Kara (Tim) VanWert; Stacy (Clark) McDermott; Kristin Tillonson; Suzanne Cohrs, Craig (Milly) Tillotson; Brad (Moira) Leu; Amanda (Ben) Washburn; P. David (Erika) Milne; Jeremy Leu, Steven Milne, Thomas Milne, Rebecca Leu, Sandy Leu, seventeen great-grandchildren, six nieces, three nephews and their families. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Oliver, sister Ellen Marie (Bob) Thompson, son-in-law Todd Tillotson, granddaughters Jamie Ann and Megan Jean Leu.