Willard "Bill" Brosz

Willard “Bill” Richard Brosz, age 92 of Le Sueur/Belle Plaine, passed away on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. at the United Methodist Church in Le Sueur, Minnesota. Visitation will be held on Monday, July 1, 2024 from 5-7 P.M. at Kolden Funeral Home in Le Sueur, Minnesota and one hour prior to the services at the church. Burial will be in Germantown Cemetery, Lamberton, Minnesota.  Military rites will be held at the church following the services.

Willard was born to Richard and Adena Brosz on a farm near Tripp, South Dakota on November 17, 1931.

He graduated from a high school class of 15 students. Willard attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. He studied chemistry and worked in the labs there. He joined ROTC his freshman year. The Korean War broke out when he was a sophomore, and he joined Advanced ROTC, committing to two years of active duty after college. During college, Willard met Joanne “Joey” Werner, who was working as a secretary there. They were married in January of 1953.

Willard graduated in 1953, and entered the Army as a commissioned second lieutenant.

After graduation, he worked at the college as a bacteriologist prior to his military assignment. When his military assignments came through, he was stationed first at Fort McClellan in Alabama, and later in Maryland at Fort Detrick’s biological warfare center. After the war the family returned to Brookings where Willard worked again at SDSU doing state biochemistry analysis as part of the faculty. During this time he took additional classes, earning enough credits that he could have qualified for a Masters degree.

Willard moved to Minneapolis and worked at NSP as a water chemist in the testing lab, and did environmental assessment for the King’s plant in Stillwater, pioneering the new position of “Environmental Engineer.” The family lived in Fridley, Minnesota. He moved to Le Sueur, Minnesota to work with Green Giant (later Pillsbury) as an environmental and energy engineer until his retirement. Willard was active in his church choir and the church council. He worked with Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts for 22 years. He was active in Lion’s Club.

Willard is survived by his children Tom (Judy) Brosz of Menifee, CA, Sue Wilson of Belle Plaine, MN, Todd (Danielle) Brosz of Colorado Springs, CO; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, his sister Deanna, his sister-in-law Ramona Creighton, his brother in law Robert Creighton, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Joey in 2019.