Joseph Francis Huonder

Memorial Mass for Joseph Huonder, age 96, of Milaca, will be held Friday, December 1, 2017 at 11 AM at St. Louis Catholic Church in Foreston with Fr. Jim Remmerswaal, OSC officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Lakeside Cemetery near Malmo. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Joseph Huonder was born August 24, 1921 to Joseph and Anna Huonder in Greenbush Township. Joseph attended school in District 7, Estes Brook, before the family moved to a farm by Mille Lacs Lake. He then attended North School and Central School near Opstead, Minnesota. He was inducted into the Army Aircorp and served in World War II until November 09, 1945. One and a half of those years were spent on the island of Iwo Jima. He returned to farm and on November 09, 1946 he married Leona Ott. They were married 63 years before her death in March 2009. Joseph loved working in the woods, logging, and he was a sawyer. At one time, he worked on the Soo Line Railroad, all to supplement farming. He was an avid reader. He often read and recited poems to his children. He has a huge library. In 2012, Joe moved to the Milaca Park Apartments in Milaca. He lived there for five years until his death. Joe passed away November 24, 2017 at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis. He is survived by sons, Joseph (Valorie) Huonder of Wisconsin, Steven (Vickie) Huonder of Blaine, John (Tonnie) Huonder of Pease; daughters, Barbara Reibestein of Milaca and Susann (Brian) Stone of Burnsville; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Dorothy Sanders of Parker, CO, Elizabeth Mims and Margaret Cooper of Aurora, CO; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, wife, Leona and son-in-law, Frank.