Edgerton - Willard M. Babcock, age 92, a lifelong Edgerton resident, died on Fri., Sept. 17, 1993, at Edgerton Memorial Community Hospital Long Term Care Unit. Willard was born July 10, 1901, the second child of Milton J. and Edith (Potter) Babcock on the family farm which he and his wife owned for many years. He was baptized at an early age and joined the Albion Seventh Day Baptist Church. Graduating from Edgerton High School in 1920, he married Winifred Myra Palmiter, the daughter of Fred and Winnie Palmiter on Aug. 30, 1922. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1972 with family and a host of friends. Mrs. Babcock died on June 28, 1974 after a long illness. A sister, Berdena, died in 1902 at the age of 4, and a sister, Dorothy, was killed in an auto accident in 1959 in Tucson, AZ. Willard served at his church as Sabbath School superintendent, moderator, president, usher, and the church board of trustees for many years. He was president of the old Albion Civic Club and served as treasurer of the School Board of Emery School District #3 for 26 years. He was a charter member of the Albion Historical Society and served on its Board of Directors. He was active in church and civic affairs, enjoyed his family immensely and made friends easily of which he had many. He always had time to chat a while and enjoyed jokes very much.
His survivors include a son (Joyce) Babcock of Albion; 3 daughters: Betty Saunders, Lois (Kenneth) Hess, both of Edgerton, and Janice Woerth of Beloit; 15 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; a sister, Elizabeth Chatfield of Milton; nieces, nephews; and a long-time special friend Eleanor Freberg of Stoughton.
Funeral services will be held on Tues., Sept. 21, at the Seventh Day Baptist Church at Albion at 2:00 p.m. Friends may call Monday at 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Bruni-Nygaard-Ward Funeral Home, Edgerton.
