Lilly Kern

Lilly Kern, age 103, of Olivia, MN died Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at Parkview Assisted Living in Olivia.  Memorial services will be Thursday, October 3 at 11:00 a.m. at Cross of Calvary Lutheran Church in Olivia with Rev. Matt Hausken officiating.  Burial will be in the Olivia Cemetery.  Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. The family encourages memorials in lieu of flowers.  Memorials may be sent to: Renville County Hospice 100 Healthy Way Olivia, MN 56277. Arrangements are by Dirks-Blem Funeral Service, Olivia, MN.

Lilly Vally Kern was born on October 5, 1920, the 3rd of 13 children, to Sam K. and Lydia (Tschetter) Wipf on the family farm in Beadle County, SD, north of Huron. Her father sent Lilly and her older sister, Evelyn, to bible school in Freeman, SD where they boarded with a family. Lilly said she missed her family while she was at the bible school, there were no books, and she didn’t really learn anything. Lilly was surprised her father sent her to this school because her family did not have a lot of money. When she was done with school, she went home and this ended her school career. She then did housework for people in the area before marrying Byron Nelson and moving to Lake Lillian, MN. She and Byron Nelson later divorced. She married Howard Hewitt in 1942 and they were married until his death in 1967 (he’s buried at Ft. Snelling, a fact Lilly was proud of). Lilly worked at the Citizen’s State Bank of Olivia for many years and this is where she met her third husband, Lawrence Kern. They were married in 1969 until his death in 1993. Lilly had a strong Christian faith and her church was very important to her. Lilly loved watching baseball games, especially the Minnesota Twins, and went to many ballparks. She also enjoyed traveling with her sisters. Having coffee with her friends and going to the Olivia American Legion for their special meals and events were activities she enjoyed. She truly loved her job at the Citizens State Bank of Olivia, especially the people she worked with and her customers.

Lilly was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Lydia Wipf; her husbands, Howard Hewitt and Lawrence Kern; her siblings: Ruby Kliensasser, Evelyn Maas, Susie Pulman, Anna Friesen, infant sister Katherine, John Wipf, Samuel Wipf, Clifford Wipf, Lorraine Kliensasser, and Betty McBride; and stepchildren: Betty Schotes, Janice Timm, and Douglas Kern. Lilly is survived by her brothers, Ferd Wipf of Huron, SD, and Peter (Cheryl) Wipf of Nicholasville, KY; and stepdaughters, Sally Johnson of Menahga, MN and Shirley Visser of Paynesville, MN; and many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

Blessed Be Her Memory