Paul Day Willard Jr.

Paul Day Willard Jr. passed away on Saturday, May 5, 2012, in Evergreen Terrace, Grand Rapids.

Paul was a longtime Swan Lake resident and a member of the Pengilly United Methodist Church. He loved golfing and was a lifelong member of the Swan Lake Country Club.

Paul was born in Riverside, Calif., on March 22, 1915, to Paul Day Sr. and Ada Darling (Adair) Willard. He attended 19 different schools in Minnesota, California and Switzerland, graduating from Beverly Hills High School in California. He attended the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, graduating with a Mining Engineer degree. He prospected for gold and worked at several gold mines in Nevada and northern California. He had a short career in the Minnesota iron mines, including the Bennet mine in Keewatin and Erie Mining in Hoyt Lakes prior to founding Industrial Specialists and selling mining equipment to mines across the Range. Paul and Lenore “Sally” James were married on Dec. 22, 1952, in Nashwauk. In their retirement years, Paul and Sally traveled to Europe and Australia several times.

Paul was a proud WW II Navy Veteran. He enlisted in the Navy following Pearl Harbor and attained the rank of Lieutenant JG. He served aboard three U.S. Merchant Marine ships in the Pacific Theatre. One ship was attacked and severely damaged.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Sr. in 1954 and Ada Willard in 1979; his wife of 58 years, Sally in 2010; and his sister, Jean Adair Wortz in 1976.

Survivors include his children, Sue (Ed) Stish of Balsam Township, Sally (Curt) Northey of Wayzata, and David of Hopkins, Minn.; grandchildren, Mandy Stish, Kelly (Brian) Hujanen, Becky (Joe) Ott, Matt (Shelly) Northey, Katie Northey, Sarah Willard, Angela Willard and Emma Willard; and great-grandchildren, Mackenzy Hujanen and Aidan Northey.

At Paul’s request, there will be no services. Interment will be in the Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minn. Arrangements are by the Peterson Funeral Chapel of Coleraine. To sign the online guest book, go to www.petersonfuneralchapelofcoleraine.com.

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