Lillian Somers

Lillian Somers
LILLIAN ABBIE SOMERS, age 99 of Waseca, passed away on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at the Lakeshore Inn in Waseca.
Born in Le Sueur County on November 11, 1917, Lillian was the daughter of Benjamin and Clara (Floyd) Wetzel.  She grew up on farms and attended rural schools.  After working in restaurants and as a housekeeper, she married Harold Wabner in October, 1939.  He died in 1942 and Lillian went to work at the E.F. Johnson Company.  She married Clint Somers in March 1948, and was happy being a mother and housewife, tending her flowers and helping Clint in the Garden.  In 1960 she started working for School District #829 as a cook, working most often at Hartley School.  She retired in 1981, but continued to help out as a substitute cook until she was in her 80s.
As a 60+ year member of the First Congregational Church, Lillian was known for pitching in on the annual salad luncheons and was active in the Ladies Friendly, as well as the VFW Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary.  She took jazzercise classes for many years, and that time was very special to her, both for the exercise and the friendships.  Lillian was a great cook, and her children remember the wonderful bread she would bake from scratch every Saturday, the cookies she would lock in the cupboard to try to slow their disappearance, and the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake with homemade fudge frosting.  Although we have many of her recipes, they never taste as good as when Mom made them!  Lillian loved to travel with her family and with her friends from the Busy Bee group - especially to Hawaii.
Lillian was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend.  She is survived by her children, Janice (Wabner) Kunst, Tom (Becky) Somers, Linda (Tom) Krueger, and Anita (Dave) Olson; her grandchildren, Debbie Kunst, Brad (Ann) Kunst, Dan (Heidi) Kunst, Jeff (fiancé Melissa) Somers, Justin Krueger, Luke (Rhonda) Krueger, Tracy (Dusty) Loberg, and Fawn (special friend Nick) Krueger; her great-grandchildren, Rachel and Katie Kunst, Michael, Allison, and Jonathan Kunst, Avery and Clinton Krueger, and August and Nash Loberg; and two sisters-in-law, Alverna Somers and Mary Jean Somers; as well as many nieces; nephews; and friends.  She was preceded in death by both of her parents; both of her husbands; three siblings and their spouses including Leona (Lloyd) Buscho, her twin sister Lela (Jay) Martinson, and Dale (Gert) Wetzel. A celebration of Lillians life will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at First Congregational Church in Waseca, with Rev. Derrick Skoglund officiating.  Visitation will be held for one hour before the service at the church.  Lillian donated her body to the Mayo Foundation for medical research.  A future committal service will be held following completion of the research.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First Congregational Church or to Hospice.