Not long ago we had a blog about Howard Jording and his death. One of the first people that Pastor Jording introduced me to was Willis Puppe. He was the President of the Trinity congregation for years and one of those guys that was always at the church doing something. He would check on the furnace before he went to work and probably on the way home as well. He was one of those people that was always there and always could be counted on to serve.
Christmas was his favorite time of the year and he spent countless our decorating. He was the guy that hunted down and cut down and set up the live church Christmas Tree which was an amazing thing to see. There were real trees back in the day for those who don’t know about such things. I remember as the service would procede and the church got warmer the tree’s cones would start to open up and pince seeds would be shot over onto the pulpit. The smell of pine would permeate the sanctuary.
Willis was buried on Friday. The honor guard carefully wrapped the flag and presented it to Bonnie the woman that he was devoted to for 57 years. It was a cold day. Members of his family came from Thief River Falls where Willis parents are buried.
He was a volunteer fireman, the commander of the legion post and a hard worker all his life. He seemed to fill the words of Paul with life – And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, and let it be through Him that you give thanks to God the Father.
