Service will be held at the St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sleepy Eye, on Thursday, December 29, 2016 at 10:30 am.

Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service.

The clergy will be Pastor Chris Cordes.

Interment will be at the Home Cemetery in Sleepy Eye with military rites by the Sleepy Eye Honor Guard.

Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye.

On line condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Willard Edwin Romberg was born on September 6, 1911 in Home Township, MN, to Frank F. Romberg & Wilhelmina “Minnie” Miller Romberg of Smiths Mill (near Janesville), MN. Willard grew up on the family farm near Sleepy Eye and attended country school, St. Johns Elementary School and graduated from Sleepy Eye High School in 1929. As an infant, Willard became handicapped with ankyloses of his right knee. This prevented him from farming, which he loved, and so his parents sent him to college. Subsequently, he attended the University of Minnesota and obtained his DDS degree in 1936. After graduation, Dr. Romberg practiced dentistry in Sleepy Eye until he was called up to serve in the Army Dental Corp in 1943, during World War II. After purchasing uniforms at Fort Snelling, Lieutenant Romberg reported to Dallas, TX and was assigned to Camp Hood. He spent most of his army time there, but he was also stationed at Camp Chaffee, AR, with temporary duty to Camp Fort Polk, LA for 8 weeks. He served 3 1/2, years in the army and was discharged as Captain Romberg. On May 2, 1943, Willard married Ella Niemann. She had been one of his patients. Ella was with him while he was in the army and worked as a civilian position classification analyst at Camp Hood. Upon his discharge from the army at Fort Sam, Houston, TX, they returned to Sleepy Eye, and on November 7, 1946, a son, Donald, was born. Willard joined the Veterans Administration. He served as a dentist in Fargo, ND, Dayton, OH, New Orleans & Shreveport, LA, and finally in Hot Springs, SD. He was with the VA for about 16 years. Willard, Ella, and Donald moved to Lake Benton, MN. It was there that Willard resumed his private practice and served the Lake Benton community for 24 years. He also served on the Ivanhoe hospital staff, a rare honor for a dentist. On June 30, 1987, Willard retired from dentistry after 50 years in dental practice. Willard & Ella left Lake Benton and moved back to Sleepy Eye to be close to family. On September 14, 1998 Ella preceded him in death. Willard and Ella had been married 55 years. Willard was always active in the communities where he lived. He served on several church councils as president of the congregation and held other elected church positions as well. In Lake Benton he joined the Lions Club and was a member of the Lake Benton Service Club. Willard & Ella were Lincoln County Representatives to the State Republican Convention in St. Paul. After moving to Sleepy Eye, Willard remained active in the community. He continued to participate in the Lion’s Club, was active in Senior Citizen’s, remained a lifelong member of St John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELS), and was a Lutheran Brotherhood volunteer visiting shut-ins at local nursing homes. In 1999, Willard was named a Brown County’s Senior Citizen Volunteer of the Year. Willard is survived by his son Don (Ann), grandson Jason (Stacy), great granddaughter Adrienne and great grandsons Zachary and Quinten, siblings, Alma and Walter (Emily). He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, Herbert, Ruth (Arnold) Tessmer, Marie, Edmund (Renalda) & Helen (David) Wright.

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