Delrose R. Willard

Delrose R. Willard, 88
St. Cloud, MN
February 9, 1933 – January 25, 2022
Delrose Renee Willard, age 88, St. Cloud, MN, died Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at her home surrounded by her family.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 29, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Benson Funeral Home Chapel, St. Cloud, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Saturday. Burial will be Saturday, January 29, 2022 at 3:00 PM at the Staples Family Cemetery, St. Joseph Township, MN.
Delrose was born February 9, 1933, to Agnes Cecelia Delores (Mathies) Glenn and John L. Glenn. Delrose worked for room and board between her junior and senior year for Orbecks in Spring Hill, MN. During her senior year in high school, she worked for room and board at the Dr. L.M. Evans residence. Delrose graduated from Technical High School in 1952.
She eloped with her high school sweetheart, Howard "Bud" Staples Willard, on June 22, 1952. On their way to their honeymoon destination they hit a snowplow, honestly a snowplow in June. She lived in the Saint Cloud area her entire life and moved to her current neighborhood in 1953. They initially rented a house for $25.00 per month. In 1959 they purchased their first home down Yankee Road for $2500.00 paying $25.00 per month on their mortgage. Their marriage was blessed with seven healthy children.
Delrose worked for Holes Webway for 25 years. She was a member of St. Cloud Eagles Aerie #622 Auxiliary, NARVRE and Rockville Area Sportsman Club.
Delrose enjoyed various activities including baseball games, card parties, fishing and snowmobiling. You may have heard her air horn in the stands at the ball games, or you may have seen her whizzing by on her scorpion on a poker run. After the death of her husband, she began traveling with her Mother and sister Jana and later their travels included their sister Ione. They traveled to Hawaii, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Ireland along with travels in Canada, Mexico and the USA. Her favorite travel spot was Alaska, where she traveled by bus and also cruise lines.
Delrose loved to cook and bake. Her hot dishes were a favorite of the entire extended families, whether enjoying her meals after cemetery cleaning, deer hunting or holiday gathering. If you ever walked away hungry from a feast at Deli's, it was your own fault. Whenever her boys went on a hunting trip, they were sent off with Mom's homemade cookies, usually 3 or 4 varieties.
Delrose is survived by her children: Audrey Willard, Greeneville,TN; Glenn (Diane) Willard, Cold Spring, MN; James Willard, St. Cloud, MN; Dale Willard, Buffalo, MN; Roy (Sandy) Willard, St. Cloud, MN; Marybeth (Scott) Theisen, St. Cloud, MN; Lynne Lenzmeier, Kimball, MN; Mary Bensen Willard, Buffalo, MN; grandchildren: Christopher, Brandon, Renee, Jeffrey, Ryan, Justin, John, Benjamin, Maxwell, Jesse, Nicholas, Alec and JoHannah; great grandchildren: Noah, Zachery, Dennis, Chantel, Gretta, Rylee, Charlotte, Taylor and Luke; siblings, Richard (Beverly) Glenn, St. Michael, MN, Jana Grams, St. Cloud, MN; and Gary (Mary) Grams, Grand Lake, MN.
Delrose was preceded in death by her father John, prior to her birth, mother, Agnes, husband Bud on August 3, 1992, son Robert John on February 29, 2012, siblings, Dennis and Sylvan Grams and Ione Glenn Polley, grandchildren Jeremy Michael, Angelee Marie, Jamie, and Richard Johan, and stepfather Marvin Grams.