Willard E. Moe

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Willard E. Moe died peacefully at the age of 94 on June 4th, 2020, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD surrounded by his family. Due to Covid-19, private family services will begin at 10:30 AM Monday, June 8, 2020, at Zion Lutheran Church, Garretson. (Service will be live streamed via the Zion Lutheran and Minnehaha Funeral Home Facebook Pages.) Public burial will follow at approximately 11:00 AM at the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Garretson. Public visitation without the family present will be from 4-6:00 PM Sunday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson. The family asks that you maintain social distancing and wear a mask at the cemetery and visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Garretson Fire Department, Garretson Community Ambulance, or the Garretson American Legion.

Willard was born August 15, 1925 on a farm north of Garretson to Carl and Alma (Erickson) Moe. He started his education at the White Willow country school. Willard and his family eventually moved into town, where he finished his education, graduating from Garretson High School in 1943. He worked for John Morrell and Company for a short time after graduation until he was drafted into the Army during World War II.

Willard served in the Pacific Ocean theater, and after the war he was a part of the military force that occupied Japan. He was discharged and returned home in April of 1946. Shortly after, he started working for the Farmers Elevator in Garretson where he worked for over 40 years, retiring in December of 1987.

He married Shirley Austin from Colton, SD in 1949 and they made their home in Garretson. They had two children, Jacqueline (Jackie) and Michael (Mike). Willard and Shirley celebrated 50 years of marriage in 1999. Shirley passed away on January 5th, 2000.

Willard was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church in Garretson, where he served as an usher and on the church board for many years. He loved good music  and sang in the church choir for 40 years. In high school, Willard played in the band and sang in the mixed chorus.  He also sang with the Rock Minnehaha Male Chorus in Garretson for many years until it disbanded because of a lack of singers. He loved the big bands of the 1930s and 1940s and a number of small groups who sang so well together in those days.

He was a member of the Henry G. Fix American Legion Post 23 of Garretson. He also served for many years with the Garretson Volunteer Fire Department and on the Garretson City Council. Willard was an avid golfer and was a fixture at River Ridge Golf Course in Garretson. In his later years, he greatly enjoyed his daily cruises through Garretson and his meals at local establishments.

Grateful for having shared his life are his daughter, Jackie (Larry) Engebretson and his son, Mike (Laurie) Moe; grandchildren, Chris Engebretson and Rebecca Tidemann (Andy Gilbert); great-grandchildren, Brady Tidemann and Emma Tidemann; and many nieces and nephews. He  was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley; his parents, Carl and Alma Moe; a sister, Dorothy Lahr; brothers, Stanley Moe, Roger Moe, and Richard, who died in infancy.