Clara Bertha Hillard

Clara Bertha Hillard…

was born to August and Margaret (Wussow) Wittrock on April 16, 1926 on a farm in Sweet Township of Pipestone County, Minnesota. She attended school in District 29 of Pipestone County. Upon completion of her education, she started doing housework for various people. When Clara was 14 years old, she began working at various places in Pipestone, including Ben Franklin, the Toy Factory, Feckers Produce, and the Red & White Grocery Store. On September 12, 1950, Clara married Harris E. Hillard at St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. Following their marriage, they lived on Harris’ parents’ farm north of Pipestone and Clara continued to work in town. Clara was a farm wife and raised their four children on the family farm. In 1976, she started working as a cook at the Good Samaritan Village in Pipestone. After her retirement in 1988, she enjoyed spending time at home. Clara and Harris celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on September 12, 2000. Clara entered the Ashton Care Center on January 10, 2008 where she resided until they closed. On October 22, 2009, Harris preceded her in death. On August 24, 2010, she became a resident at Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone where she died on May 10, 2012 at the age of 86 years and 24 days.

Clara was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church and her church circle. She belonged to the Verdi Crop Show Committee and the Verdi Community Club. Throughout their years, Clara and her husband loved to go to old time dances. Often on Sunday afternoons, she enjoyed sitting down and playing the organ by ear and also learned to play the button, as well as the keyboard accordian. She especially enjoyed being a farm wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Clara is known to her grandkids and great-grandkids as Grandma U-Who.

She is lovingly remembered by her children, Irene Tirrel and her husband Roy, Leo Hillard and his wife Connie, Sharon Blom and her husband David, Thomas Hillard and his wife Eldonna, and Larry Hillard, all of Pipestone, Minnesota; 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, Stacy Hillard, Heather and Kyle DeWilde and their children, Bailey, Trevin and MaKenley DeWilde, John and Amanda Blom and their children, Sarah and Zachary Blom, Krista and Shuan Wisdom and their daughter, Annsleigh, Amanda and Ben Kampmann, Jared and Bradley Hillard, Lorie and Scott Quincey and their daughters, Jennifer and Kayla, and Judy and Doug DeRuyter and their children, Mason, Cody, Alyssa and Jordan DeRuyter; one sister, Dorothy Boehm; one sister-in-law, Mary Wittrock; nieces, nephews, and aunts. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harris; two infant granddaughters; her parents; two brothers, Walter Wittrock and his wife Dorothy and LeRoy Wittrock; and one brother-in-law, Robert Boehm.