Mildred Joan (Huse) Willems

Mildred J. (Huse) Willems, 84, Hastings, Nebraska passed away on Sunday, April 9, 2023 at College View Assisted Living, Hastings, Nebraska.  Service will be Thursday, April 13, 2023, 2:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Hill, Nebraska with Rev. Jeffrey Kuddes officiating.  Burial will be in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Blue Hill, Nebraska.  Visitation will be Wednesday, April 12, 2023 from 1:00-8:00 p.m. with family present from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Merten-Butler Mortuary, Blue Hill, Nebraska and one hour prior to service at the church.  Memorials can be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Blue Hill Community Foundation.  The service will be live-streamed on Merten-Butler Mortuary’s website.  To view the service, go to Mildred’s obituary and click the play button towards the bottom of the page.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mertenbutlermortuary.com.  Merten-Butler Mortuary, Blue Hill, Nebraska is in charge of arrangements.

Mildred was born on August 7, 1938 to Albert and Esther (Stroh) Huse in her Grandparents house in Blue Hill.  She was baptized on August 28, 1938 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Hill where she was a lifelong member and was confirmed there on May 11, 1952.  Mildred attended school at Adams Country Rural Schools, Trinity Lutheran Parochial School and graduated from Blue Hill High School in 1956.  Mildred married Alvin Willems on August 11, 1957 at Trinity Lutheran Church.  To this union was born Kerri Lynne (Willems) Brown and Kevin Willems.  Alvin passed away on May 2, 2003 after almost 46 years of marriage.

Mildred was a volunteer coordinator for Blue Hill meals on wheels program from 1994-2014.  She delivered meals for many years.  She was a Sunday School teacher and sang in the church choir for a number of years.  She served as an out- of- town board member for Hastings Community Concert Association and was a volunteer for the American Red Cross bloodmobile in Blue Hill.  She was a homemaker and employed by Barnason’s grocery store for twenty-five years.  She loved to read and attend concerts and any activity her grandchildren were participating in.

Mildred is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Kerri Lynne (Luke) Brown Ellsworth, Kansas; son and daughter-in-law, Kevin (Christine) Willems, Ayr, Nebraska; grandchildren, Megan (Aaron) Duree, Nathan Brown, Andrea Willems, Ariel Willems, Spencer Willems; great grandchildren, Benjamin and Alexander Duree; sister and brother-in-law, Marlys (Roger) Schroeder; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Lee (Eileen) Saathoff, Hastings, Nebraska, Glenn (Julie) Willems, South Dakota, Orville Willems, South Dakota, many nieces, nephews and friends.  Mildred is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Esther Huse; husband, Alvin Willems; sister, Marian Saathoff; father and mother-in-law, John and Ida Willems; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Eldon (Julane Frahm) Willems, Russ (Wilma Stroh) Willems.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mildred Joan (Huse) Willems, please visit our floral store.