Lucille Williams

LUCILLE ELEANOR (YONKER) WILLIAMS was born October 23, 1925 to Otto and Agnes (Fehland) Yonker in Bellingham, Minnesota. She grew up in Bellingham and graduated from Bellingham High School in 1943. She moved with her family to Lake Benton in 1944 and worked at her parents’ meat locker plant in Lake Benton. On June 9, 1951 Lucille married Vernon Williams in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The two resided there for two years while Vernon was a major in the U.S. Army Air Force. They returned to Lake Benton and lived in town until 1958 when the family moved to their current location north of Lake Benton. For many years she helped on the farm and also had a few jobs off of the farm. She continued to live on the farm following Vernon’s death in 2008. On Friday, June 13, 2014 Lucille passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 88 years, 7 months, and 21 days.

Lucille was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Lake Benton. She was well-known for her homemade cracker jacks, and for her crochet doilies for which she received Grand Champion ribbons at both the Lyon and Lincoln county fairs. She enjoyed spending time in her vegetable garden and raising calves. She also helped sew quilts for the quilting group at her church. She was a lifelong fan of the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Vikings.

Lucille is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Carol Williams of Marshall, Minnesota; one sister, Bernice Krog of Lake Benton, Minnesota; two brothers, Leonard (Darlene) Yonker of Milroy, Minnesota and Roy (Marlene) Yonker of Tyler, Minnesota; one brother-in-law, Gailard Williams of Payson, Arizona; and her cat, Sophie. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon; her parents; brothers Melvin, Wilbur, Robert, Glenn, and Vern Yonker; and a sister, Verna “Honey” Nordmeyer.

Blessed be her memory.