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Willard Gene Meier, 91 years, of rural Arlington, passed away Saturday, September 23rd at Nye Legacy in Fremont.

Willard was born on October 20, 1925, in Oxford to Albert and Wilhelmine (Drews) Meier. He grew up on an acreage two miles east of Arlington after moving from Oxford at the age of 1. He graduated from Arlington High School in 1944. Willard served in the Pacific Theater of World War II as a Navy Seaman. Willard married June Gladys Schmidt on June 21, 1953, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. They lived on a farm north of Arlington their entire married lives.

Willard enjoyed working outdoors, planting and caring for trees, bushes, lawns and flowers. Although he worked for a time in Omaha and Seattle, he spent the majority of his life working in Arlington, Blair and Fremont. He worked for Marshall Nurseries 18 years, Dana College in Blair 26 years, and 17 years at the Fremont Golf Course planting flower beds and maintaining the fairways. While employed at Dana College, he was a curator of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, planting and maintaining a nursery of trees. He also had an independent landscaping and trimming business. He retired at age 82, and enjoyed fishing, church activities and visiting with family and friends.

Willard was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, served on the Parks and Repair Committee, and the Financial Board. He was a member of the Lutheran Laymen's League, where he served as secretary and treasurer.

Willard is survived by his wife, June; daughter, Patricia Nielsen of Blair; sons, Brian Meier of Bellevue and Mark Meier of Lincoln; sisters-in-law, Peg Meier of Plattsmouth and Maxine Meier of Arlington; grandchildren, Erik (Jami) Nielsen, Sonja (Emerson) Adams, Siona (Chris) Miles, Joshua Dylan Meier; step-grandchildren, Harlan Lame and William Thomas; great-grandchildren, Willa Miles and Hansel Adams; 1 step-great-grandchild, Isaiah Thomas; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Alberta (Myron) Callahan; brothers, Monford and Keith Meier; sister-in-law, Rosalind Meier; and son-in-law, Thomas Nielsen.

The Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 29th at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Arlington. The Rev. Jason Duley will officiate. Burial with military honors will be at God's Acre Cemetery, adjacent to St. Paul's Church.

Memorials are suggested to St. Paul's Lutheran School or the donor's choice.

Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.

Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clipping on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.