Thomas “Tom” Willems, age 93, of Garretson, passed away on June 6, 2021, at Palisade Healthcare. Mass of Christian Burial for Tom and Lavonne will begin at 10:30 AM Thursday, June 10, 2021, at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Garretson. Interment of the cremated remains will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Wednesday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson, with a Prayer Service & Rosary beginning at 7:00 PM. The mass will be livestreamed on Tom’s obituary page at www.minnehahafuneralhome.com. Memorials may be directed to Honor Flight, the Garretson Community Scholarship Foundation, or a community organization of your choice.
Thomas “Tom” B. Willems was born in Pipestone County, Minnesota, to Serafein and Mary (Dhaemers) Willems. He attended grade school in Pipestone and Rock County, MN. He graduated from Garretson High School in 1946. After serving in the US Army during the Korean Conflict, he returned to Rock County. Tom married LaVonne McClure on November 17, 1952 in Luverne, Minnesota. They lived in the Garretson area until his death.
He is survived by his children: Mark, Madison SD, Mary (Brian) Parr, New Ipswich, NH, Janet Tyrrell, Garretson, Nancy (John) Brandsma, Brandon SD, Judy Sievert, Garretson, Daniel (Lisa) Garretson, and David (Kelley Barrett), Louisville, KY; 16 grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lavonne; his parents; a special aunt and uncle, Virginia and Mel Willems; daughters: Cheryl McKenna and Susan Marie (infant); a son, Michael James (infant); six brothers: Henry, Lewis, Richard, Edward, Harold, and Robert; and four sisters: Margaret, Helen, Joyce, and Gladys; son-in-law, Darwin Sievert; and a grandson, Eric Bjorneberg.
