1920
Willard
2016
Willard Kuller
May 14, 1920 — December 23, 2016
Willard J. Kuller, 96, Judson, ND, passed away December 23, 2016, at Elm Crest Manor in New Salem.
Willard's funeral will take place in the spring with full military honors being conducted by his grandson, Sgt. Steven Trautman.
Visitation for family and friends will be held from 1 to 5 pm on Friday, December 30, 2016 at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan.
Willard was born May 14, 1920, on the family farm south of Judson, ND. He attended two country grade schools riding his horse, "Darkie" to "Loehrke's" school two miles north of the farm and often riding his horse to "Weichman's" school three miles west when he attended there. Darkie would run full speed to Loehrke's school and Willard, being a small boy, had to hang on as tight as he could to keep from falling off the horse.
Willard helped with the work on the farm and helped his mother, Gertrude, raise the turkeys as well as the vegetable garden. He would tell about the large patch of big watermelons he had grown where an old straw pile had been. A hailstorm came and destroyed all of them. He always remembered that.
Willard graduated from Judson High School in 1938. He later took a welding class at the Agricultural College in Fargo. He was recruited from there to work building the P-38 airplanes at the Lockheed Aircraft Plant in Burbank, CA, and was working there when Pearl Harbor was bombed.
In 1942, Willard enlisted in the Army Air Corp. and on July 5, he shipped out from Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, on the HMS Alexander bound for Panama where he served during WWII.
He was discharged from the Army Air Corp. at Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX. On August 26, 1945 he married Helen Irene Krisch, a woman he had met while in San Antonio. A daughter, Betty Ann, was born to them. Willard and Helen made their home on a farm located a mile from the farm where he grew up.
Willard enjoyed hunting and trapping from an early age. He hunted deer in the Heart River hills for many years with his friends and many times recalled his memorable hunting experiences. He also enjoyed fishing and visiting, talking about early years.
Willard is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Harley Trautman, Bismarck, ND; four grandchildren, Steve (Cori) Trautman, Moorhead, MN; Timothy Trautman, Bismarck, ND; Jonathan (Kathy) Trautman, Chaska, MN; and Marea (Chris) Reinicke, Bismarck, ND; 9 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob and Gertrude Kuller; his wife Helen; his sister and brother-in-law Bernice and Carl Schwinkendorf; and a niece, JoAnn Foote.
Willard 's Memorial Folder
Willard's funeral will take place in the spring with full military honors being conducted by his grandson, Sgt. Steven Trautman.
Visitation for family and friends will be held from 1 to 5 pm on Friday, December 30, 2016 at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan.
Willard was born May 14, 1920, on the family farm south of Judson, ND. He attended two country grade schools riding his horse, "Darkie" to "Loehrke's" school two miles north of the farm and often riding his horse to "Weichman's" school three miles west when he attended there. Darkie would run full speed to Loehrke's school and Willard, being a small boy, had to hang on as tight as he could to keep from falling off the horse.
Willard helped with the work on the farm and helped his mother, Gertrude, raise the turkeys as well as the vegetable garden. He would tell about the large patch of big watermelons he had grown where an old straw pile had been. A hailstorm came and destroyed all of them. He always remembered that.
Willard graduated from Judson High School in 1938. He later took a welding class at the Agricultural College in Fargo. He was recruited from there to work building the P-38 airplanes at the Lockheed Aircraft Plant in Burbank, CA, and was working there when Pearl Harbor was bombed.
In 1942, Willard enlisted in the Army Air Corp. and on July 5, he shipped out from Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, on the HMS Alexander bound for Panama where he served during WWII.
He was discharged from the Army Air Corp. at Kelly Field, San Antonio, TX. On August 26, 1945 he married Helen Irene Krisch, a woman he had met while in San Antonio. A daughter, Betty Ann, was born to them. Willard and Helen made their home on a farm located a mile from the farm where he grew up.
Willard enjoyed hunting and trapping from an early age. He hunted deer in the Heart River hills for many years with his friends and many times recalled his memorable hunting experiences. He also enjoyed fishing and visiting, talking about early years.
Willard is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Harley Trautman, Bismarck, ND; four grandchildren, Steve (Cori) Trautman, Moorhead, MN; Timothy Trautman, Bismarck, ND; Jonathan (Kathy) Trautman, Chaska, MN; and Marea (Chris) Reinicke, Bismarck, ND; 9 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob and Gertrude Kuller; his wife Helen; his sister and brother-in-law Bernice and Carl Schwinkendorf; and a niece, JoAnn Foote.
Willard 's Memorial Folder
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Willard Kuller, please visit our flower store.