Willie B DeKorte

I think of her so often that it feels like she is still among us. I always picture her talking & joking with Dan in the Spirit world. I loved my dear friend & she came as a blessing to my life. Jill Fugal

Willie meant so much to me and I felt I knew her always. We connected the day Dan and I began as LDS Church Oregon Eugene Mission leaders in Eugene and she and Andy were there in the office to greet us. We became fast friends. Plus she volunteered to help me with many meals I was in charge of providing for the mission, especially for incoming and outgoing missionaries, as well as conferences and special dinners with visiting leaders. She often made rolls and/or salad , or other. She made cinnamon rolls sometimes for Zone Leaders meetings too. This was not in her job description there, but she was willing to help in whatever area she was needed and would shift and was willing. She and Andy even came back after their mission and served again for a number of months to again be together an help us out with the office. It was a happy day when they returned! I loved the cooperative spirit she had and the willingness in hers and Andy's giving. She loved to cook! I was thankful for that.

Andy, her dear companion and love of her life, was a gentle giant and revered as well by us and all our missionaries by how he served, thorough in his responsibilities, with kindness, in caring for the mission cars and records and loving the missionaries. He always was doing something special for Willie in the home or yard or for family and neighbors. They shared in that kindness and generosity of spirit.

She, and our son, Matt, who was born with heart problems would joke back and forth and compare their frailties. Cameron and his wife, who is my pilot, enjoyed her too. My children loved them both. She had a gift of gab and laughter. Of course, the first thing I noticed when I first met Willie was about her name, which I thought was not her real name and her deep voice. They just didn't fit the person I saw, but soon they became a part of who she was in my mind and I loved all she was. They made her a unique personality. I felt she and I should have lived closer, not me in Utah and her in Oregon.

She and Andy were with us when Dan was diagnosed with Stage 4 Carcinoid Cancer while on our mission, and blessed us by giving encouragement and a pattern in their own lives of survival and kindness even in trials. We were welcomed back after six weeks away for surgery by them and our staff and missionaries to finish serving for two and a half more years until our mission was finished. This was a miracle since his cancer was incurable and he was given only three years to live....but was blessed to be able to come back to the mission and do many other things living 17 more years. He could share his experience with Willie because of her own bouts of health challenges and how she handled them and she was an encouragement to us. In fact after our mission, our friendship continued. We had several fun times together going on the Hellgate River Ride and dinner with our family and hers. We also came and visited now and then and they visited us, just because we missed being together.

Since her passing I have dreamed of her several times, and this makes me feel better, but also miss her more, remembering our fun times and conversations. She had many challenges in her life, but seldom did it feel like she carried the weight of them. In Christ her burdens were made light as she shared her love and service to all around her. She and Andy were such a wonderful pair, eternally binding in spirit and emotion. A great example of teamwork.

We tried to come up the day of her burial and also the day of her funeral but in both cases, the weather prohibited the plane landing due to fog or blizzard, or both. I was heartbroken as I wanted to be there and to see Andy and give our love and support. Two sons and their wives were also ready to come with me, and were so disappointed to not be able to come.

Her family were of utmost importance to her including extended family and also she had so many close friends who all felt she was her best friend. I am so happy to be on her list of friends. She is dear to my heart now and always and I so look forward to greeting her when I leave this life. I felt she met my dear Dan on the other side as she passed on, and have often felt they were talking, serving others, and laughing together there and tried to visit in a dream. (I felt they had came to see me). I sure hope they are watching over me! I need them.
She surely was/is my friend and followed Christ in his charge to us all who love Him to Feed His Sheep (care for, feed, and love us all).

I would love to add photos but can't at this time with this computer.
I want to thank Willie's family and Andy for the love and care shown to us every time we came to Central Point. God be with you all.

With Love,
Jill Boren Fugal (and Fugal Family)