Willa Belle Bennett was born November 26, 1924 to Roy Austin and Ida Pearl (McDonald) Bennett in rural Martin County, Minnesota. She grew up on the family farm and attended District #67 Country School in Jackson County until 8th grade. She then attended Windom High School graduating in 1942. Willa worked in the office of the Land Assessor for two years and then attended Northwestern Bible School in Minneapolis, MN for one year. Willa was the fourth of fourteen children in the Bennett family. She loved her family and celebrated the life they shared together. The family bonds were strong and remained so throughout her life. Willa gave her life to Jesus when attending "8 Great Days" in Windom. Her older brother Lyle attended the revival meetings and then invited his siblings to join him. This was the beginning of a faith journey that extended throughout her life. Her Christian faith was core to all aspects of her life. She had an adventurous spirit and took a train to South Texas with a good friend to experience a different part of the country. She landed in Edinburg, Texas in 1946, found a room to rent and secured a job at the Edinburg Hospital in Medical Records. She began to attend a local church and there met the love of her life, Lyle Muir. Lyle pursued her for some time and they celebrated their engagement, October 15, 1947 and were married at Windom First Baptist Church on December 3, 1947. They made their home in South Texas, where their first born daughter, Kathleen Ida was born in 1950. They moved back to Windom area in 1951 and purchased the family farm where they raised their three daughters. As the years unfolded Sheryl Lynn (1955) and Denise Lyla (1957) were added to the family. She loved flowers, gardening and preparing good fresh food for her family. Willa served in her local church by teaching Sunday School and as a Youth Group Sponsor. She was involved in Women's Circles and treasured lifelong friends that developed as they raised their children together. She also was actively involved for over 50 years in the University of Minnesota Cottonwood County Extension Club. There she learned applicable lessons in homemaking and developed community friends. Thankful for having shared her life are her family: Kathleen Muir Moulton, Sheryl Lynn and Dean Bertsch and Denise Muir Kjesbo and her husband Allen, all of Sioux Falls, SD, Elizabeth (Mike) Vogel and children, Jake, Joshua, Jonathan, James, and Jeremiah; Sarah (Jeremy) Yoder and children Raquel, David and Luke; Jordan (Faith) Minnich Kjesbo and daughter Hazel Belle; Emily (Ryan) Kjesbo-Johnson and children Keke and Keivon; Nathan (MaryChar) Bertsch; and Matthew (Danae) Bertsch and son Oakley. Willa is survived by her siblings: Veva (Stevens), Lyle, Wayne, Orlo, Adella (Espelien), Ray, Phyllis (Buck) and Margaret (Greig), and numerous much loved nieces and nephews. Willa was preceded in death by her husband Lyle, her mother and father, and brothers, Roy Jr., Chester, Warren, Glen, and Earle. All those whose lives she touched will carry on Willa's legacy of love!