Willard O. Havemeier

Willard O. Havemeier of Lancaster departed this life on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Bill was born on April 21,1920, in Courtland, Minnesota to Representative William and Elsie Radke Havemeier. He would be the third generation of his family to serve in the United States Army. After high school he entered the service, and in 1942, during World War II, he was shipped to Algiers at the height of the North African Campaign. He was assigned to the 32^nd Station Hospital, in Oran, Algeria. His unit was eventually moved to Caserta, Italy, near Naples, where he spent the remainder of the war. Bill called his wartime service the greatest experience of his life, and kept in touch with members of his unit until recently. He wrote a history of the 32^nd Station Hospital and his early farming days in Minnesota. It is online at havemeier.com

In 1945 Bill determined that he would not return to the family farm. He graduated with a BS in Economics from Temple University in 1949. He enlisted in the Army Reserves, where he served with the 79^th Army Reserve Command until 1980. In 1949 he went to work in the claims division of Trans America Life Insurance Company. When he took early retirement his title was Vice President, Claims.

In 1955 he married Seonaid Grant, who died in 1993. They bought a farm in Safe Harbor, where he lived until 1995. After retirement he entered Millersville University where he studied Computer Science. He then took a job at Millersville where he worked for 28 years. He retired in 2004. Bill was devoted to Millersville and its students. He established the Willard O. and Dr. Catherine Gibson Havemeier Scholarships in Computer Science and in Football. He was also a strong supporter of animal charities. He belonged to the Lancaster Chapter of the Retired Officers Association, and the First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster.

In 1995 Bill married Catherine Gibson Havemeier, who survives. They spent his later years traveling in Europe and North Africa. He was especially drawn to return to Caserta, where the deserted hospital complex still stands. He is also survived by his brothers Willis, of Minnesota, Kenneth of Florida, and his sister, Jeanette Wolner, of Minnesota. He is missed by his dogs, Lucia and Pepper.

A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, March 21, 2009 at the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home and Chapel 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz at 12 p.m. Family and Friends will be received before the service from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be Monday, March 23, 2009 at Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to ORCA, the Organization for Responsible Care of Animals, 610 North Lime Street, Lancaster, PA 17602. To send an online condolence please visit snyderfuneralhome.com