Willard Homeister

Willard Homeister

Minneapolis, Minn.

Willard Homeister, of Frederika, Iowa, passed away on Dec. 12, 2023; at the age of 84 surrounded by his loving family in Minneapolis, Minn., after a complicated surgical procedure.

Willard was born in Waverly, Iowa on Feb. 9, 1939, to Henry and Esther (Zabel) Homeister. Willard is the oldest of 14 children and attended country school #8 before attending Waverly community schools.

On Oct. 25, 1959, Willard married Marlys (Meyne) Homeister, enjoying 64 great years together, raising 5 children and having lots of fun creating a lifetime of memories.

Willard worked with his brothers and sisters on their parent’s dairy farm in the early part of his life and other farming jobs, until he was drafted into the United States Army in January 1962 and proudly served his country until October 1963, and then transitioned to the United States Army Reserves for two years.

Willard returned to Iowa and worked farming jobs until he accepted the position of tire manager for Farm Services (FS) and relocated to Keystone, Iowa, in 1974 with his young family. Willard ran the FS tire business until 1989, when he purchased and became the owner of Keystone Tires, retiring in 2013.

Willard enjoyed working and talking to farmers and helping them get their equipment back in service as quickly as possible. When not working, he enjoyed gardening, cutting down and splitting trees for his wood-burning furnace, puzzling, working on his engines, and dancing the night away with his wife Marlys and friends at polka events all over Iowa and the Midwest. They particularly enjoyed dancing to the music of Malek’s Fishermen Band and Barefoot Becky.

Willard was incredibly hard working, always willing to help someone in need when the telephone rang, and was a tremendous husband, father, brother, grandfather, and friend to countless people that he met during his lifetime.

Willard will be greatly missed and is survived by his wife Marlys, of Frederika, Iowa; daughter Connie (Terry) Baumgard of Greenwood, Minn.; son Chris Homeister, of Grapevine, Texas; daughter Carla Homeister, of Minneapolis, Minn.; daughter Cathy (Matt) Graf, of Maquoketa, Iowa; and grandchildren Nick Baumgard, Anna Homeister, Ben Homeister, and Megan Homeister.

Willard is preceded in death by his parents, his son Craig Homeister, his brothers John and Robert, baby sister Louise, Uncle LuVern, sister and brothers-in-law, and a nephew.

A visitation will be held on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023; at Kaiser Corson Funeral Home in Waverly, Iowa from 4-7 pm and for one hour prior to the funeral service. Funeral services will be held at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waverly, Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 at 10:30am with lunch served afterwards. The Denver American Legion Post #653, where Willard was an active member, will perform military honors following the service. Burial service at the Keystone, Iowa cemetery following lunch. Memorials can be directed to Denver, Iowa American Legion Post 653, 161 E. Main Street, Denver, IA 50622.

Online condolences may be left at www.kaisercorson.com.