WILLARD GIEDD

WILLARD GIEDD, 88 OF DEVILS LAKE FORMERLY OF GRAHAMS ISLAND, NORTH DAKOTA DIED ON SUNDAY MORNING, January 10, 2010 AT HIS HOME IN DEVILS LAKE. Funeral Services for Willard will be held on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake. Rev. Jeff Nicla will officiate and burial will be in the Minnewaukan Cemetery, rural Minnewaukan in the spring. Visitation will be at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Visitation on Friday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as casket bearers for Willard will be Jim Bichler, Dick Horner, Gene Hager, Paul Streifel, Joe Giedd and James Wang. Music will be provided by Elmer Lund and Fay Huffman. Willard was born on September 8, 1921 at Baker, ND, one of ten children born to Mike and Daisy Eldora (McMillen) Giedd. He was reared and educated in the Baker area. Willard was musically inclined at a young age. As a youngster he experimented with the guitar, mouth organ, banjo and mandolin before settling with the fiddle at age of 13, which he learned from his father. Willard served his country in the United States Army during World War II. After his honorable discharge on May 15, 1943 he returned to North Dakota and settled in Minnewaukan. He worked for several years on the Eli Huffman farm and was employed for a time at the Farmers Union Creamery in Devils Lake. Later he worked on the farm and in the Dairy barns at the School for the Deaf. Willard was united in marriage to Verla Elaine Comer on August 15, 1944 at Rev. Rude’s home in Devils Lake. They lived in Devils Lake for a few months and while working at the School for the Deaf, they met Ernie Zimmer who asked them to move to Grahams Island and rent his farmstead. Eventually they purchased the farm and raised their children there. They loved gardening and selling produce to their many friends and neighbors. While living on Grahams Island they also managed the Zeibach Tri-County Park (now known as Grahams Island State Park) from 1974 to 1980. In 1997, they moved to Devils Lake as the rising waters consumed the Grahams Island road. Verla passed away on October 12, 2001 and Willard continued to make Devils Lake his home. Willard was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church and former member of St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Minnewaukan, the Minnewaukan American Legion Post and the Devils Lake Eagles Club He also served on the Grahams Island Election Board for many years. Willard was a devoted husband and father. He passed on his gift of music to his children. He and his wife enjoyed dancing with their friends at the Devils Lake Eagles Club. For many years he played at school dances, wedding dances, parties and family gatherings. In these later years, Willard was joined by Fay Huffman and Elmer Lund and they entertained hundreds of people at the Senior Center and nursing homes in Devils Lake, New Rockford and Maddock. He considered himself lucky to be able to share his music with others and to receive such joy from the work. The “fiddler” may be gone from our sight, but he will remain in our hearts and memories forever. Willard is survived by his son, Dale Giedd and his wife, Loretta Bloomquist of Devils Lake and his daughter, Cheryl and her husband, Timothy Ludwig of Minot. There are three grandchildren, Kristi (John) Gamer of Blaine, Minnesota, Michael Giedd of Minneapolis and Kyle Lee Ludwig of Minot and great grandchildren, Meredith, Audrey and Sarah Gamer; Sister, Dorothy Hanson of New Rockford; Many nieces, nephews and their families also survive. Willard was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; a daughter, Mary Louise in infancy; siblings, Lillie LePage, Renview Giedd, David Giedd, Ralph Giedd, Barbara VanReese, Lester Giedd, Randy Giedd and Nellie Comer.