Merese Millard

Merese E. Millard, age 98, passed away on October 10, 2019, at Emerald Crest Memory Care, in Shakopee, Minnesota.

Her love, compassion, energy, and vitality is greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Merese was born to Frank and Susie Guiswite in 1921 and with her sister Ruth lived a very happy life on a small farm in Hudson, Wisconsin. She graduated Hudson High School in 1939 and attended Globe Business College in Minneapolis for some months until finding employment at Sears, where she met her future husband, Robert. Merese and Bob were married on Valentines Day 1942 (married 64 years), and within a year World War II altered their lives. Bob was drafted into the Army and assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and then sent to the European front. Their son Robert was born in 1944 and after the end of the war they were reunited for life in Minneapolis and St. Louis Park, building a home adjacent to Bob’s brother Fred and his wife Margaret.

Bob became an electrician and they moved to Richfield. Their children, Robert, Randy (born 1947), John (born 1952), and Sharon (born 1954) and family life consisted of tons of family activities, trips to Michigan, California and Florida, as well as numerous excursions to lakeside cabins for fishing, swimming, and boat rides. In early 1960’s the family moved to Hudson, Wisconsin, to care for Merese’s ailing parents and stayed until 1970 and then moved back to Minneapolis. In Hudson, her sister Ruth and family provided for an abundance of enjoyable family gatherings.

Merese loved being a housewife and cooking large meals for family and friends. She also worked in the Hudson hospital kitchen and as a teller at Norwest Bank in Minneapolis. Wonderful family memories included holidays and weekend family dinners with numerous relatives.

In retirement, Merese and Bob traveled the states in a motorhome and spent many months/years in Florida. They made the most of what was possible and enjoyed all the sunshine and warm weather, and activities with loads of family and friends. Their children and grandchildren have many wonderful memories of trips to the beaches and parks in Florida. They also maintained a resident in Burnsville, and the cabin at Sylvan Shores in Browerville, Minnesota. The cabin was years of family gatherings and just quiet time to spend together.

Merese will remain in the hearts of her children, John (Gwen) Millard and Sharron Lepel; grandchildren, Nance (Dan) Garcia, Julie Douglas, Brain (Harvest) Millard, Jodie (Cody) Horner, Laura Lepel, Beth (Dan) Leighton and Ryan (Jes) Lepel; great grandchildren Richard Douglas, Randee Godfrey, Andrew Carlson, Mya Millard, Callie Leighton, and Carson Leighton and great-great grandchildren Weston Douglas.

Merese is preceded in death by her husband, Robert V. Millard, on May 7, 2006, son Robert F. Millard on July 3, 2016, and son Randy Millard on October 19, 1964 and and son-in-law, Elwood A. Lepel in 2014. Merese was named after her mother’s niece.

A funeral service to celebrate both Merese and her son Robert’s lives will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15th, at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home, 520 S. 11th St., Hudson. A gathering of family and friends will take place 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will follow immediately at Old Willow River Cemetery in Hudson. Memorials are preferred to the discretion of the family.

Arrangements are being cared for by O’Connell Family Funeral Home in Hudson, WI.