Funeral Services for Willard L. Iblings, age 89 of Elgin, will be held at 10:30am Thursday, May 26, 2011 at the New Leipzig Baptist Church with Rev. Al Gaines, Rev. Mark Iblings, and Rev. Ron Klein, officiating. Burial will be in the New Leipzig Baptist Cemetery.

WILLARD LESTER IBLINGS, son of John and Patricia (Grensburg) Iblings, was born in Corona, SD, September 30, 1921. He came to the Elgin area with his parents in 1930. His father managed the local elevator. Willard attended grade and high school in Elgin, graduating in 1940.


Edna Heinle of Hebron, ND was born May 26, 1924, daughter of Gottlieb and Louise Heinle of Hebron, ND. She attended Hebron High School until her senior year which she completed in Elgin in 1942.


Willard and Edna were married March 28, 1943 at Elgin. A son, Mark, was born April 12, 1953. Mark is married to Kathy and they reside in Sumas, Washington. They have four children, Rachel (Seth) Dombach, Joelle (Steven) Shetterly, Bethany Iblings, and Will Iblings. They also have three grandsons, Isaiah and Elias Dombach, and Micah Shetterly. Willard and Edna also have a daughter, Nancy, who was born January 23, 1957. She is married to Ron Klein, and they reside in Bismarck, ND. They have two sons, Aaron and Adam.


After serving with the Air Force during WWII, Willard owned and operated a construction company for many years. He did road construction, soil conservation improvements as well as farming north of Elgin which was the former Val Reinhiller farm. He enjoyed working with his "favorite" motor grader on rural southwest North Dakota farms and country roads. Willard was a member of the Elgin Commercial Club, Park Board and City Council, and American Legion.


His wife, Edna, worked at the Elgin Clinic as a receptionist, Coop Store and as a teller at the Farmers State Bank. She passed away December 16, 1983. Together, they were very active in their home church, the New Leipzig Baptist Church. They spent many years with the youth of the church, opening their home, hosting camping trips, mentoring many youth, and always keeping a good sense of humor.


Willard married Marie Gibbs in 1988. Marie passed away in 2004. During their years together they lived part-time in Elgin and part-time in Milltown, Indiana.


Willard lived at Dakota Hills Housing in Elgin from 2004 until August 2008. He fondly referred to Elgin as "home". He died May 20th, 2011 at the Benedictine Living Center, where he had resided since 2008. Even though his memory was failing in the last years of his life, he always remembers who his Heavenly Father was.


Willard is also survived by his brothers and sisters-in-law, Bud Iblings, Shreveport, LA; Jim and CoraAnn Iblings, Olympia, WA; John and Hope Iblings, Seattle, WA; sisters and brothers-in-law, Alma Bjork-Olson and Virgil Olson, Cambridge, MN; Dorothy and Wilbur Madsen, Prince George, B.C., Canada.


He was preceded in death by his wife, Edna, his wife, Marie, brother-in-law, Dale Bjork, and sister-in-law, Ruth Iblings.

A Memorial has been established to Willard's grandchildren's ministries.



Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 2:00 to 6:00pm and on Thursday one hour prior to services at the New Leipzig Baptist Church.