Willard "Willie" Brandt

Willard "Willie" Brandt, age 92, of Prior Lake, MN, went home to the Lord, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at Fairview Ridges Hospital, in Burnsville, MN.

A Christian Funeral will take place on Friday, March 21, 2025, at 11 am, with a visitation from 9:30-10:45 am, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 5634 Luther Road SE, Prior Lake. Pastor Greg DeMuth will preside. Willie will be laid to rest at Concord Hill Cemetery.

Memorials are preferred and will be distributed in Willie's memory by the family.

Willard E. Brandt was born on June 24, 1932, to Viola and Raymond Brandt. He attended elementary school ½ mile from home in a one room little brick schoolhouse walking back and forth each day. At the age of 12, Willie contracted Polio and was taken care of by his mother and grandmother with hot blankets as the hospitals were full. After being bedridden for six weeks, he recovered and didn’t suffer any paralysis from it.

Willie attended and graduated from Jordan High School in 1950 where he served as the class President and excelled in sports. He played football, basketball, and baseball. He was known to be a very fast runner. After high school to avoid the draft, he joined the United States Navy. While in the Navy, he studied to be an electrician and refrigeration specialist. However, he was honorably discharged in January 1954 when his dad, Raymond, passed away. Willie was then to take care of the family farm with his mother. He bought the herd of guernsey cattle from his mother after a horrible outbreak of brucellosis. He lost that herd and began replacing the herd with Holstein cattle. Willie was always a hard worker, driving a school bus, and driving a milk can truck lifting hundreds of milk cans weighing 150-175 lbs. and packing them in the truck daily. This is where he met Gwendolyn as her family farm was a stop on his route. They dated for three years before marriage on April 19, 1958. Willie often said the best thing he did was marry Gwen. Willie and Gwen worked side by side every day, all day running a successful dairy farm. They believed “if you took good care of the cattle they would take good care of you.” In 1997 they sold the cow herd and “retired”. However, they still had numerous animals on the farm for the grandkids to enjoy. He continued to farm the land with his son Brian and even helped with harvesting and plowing the fields in October 2024.

Willie never left the house and property he was born and raised in and was able to proudly serve his community his whole life, being elected and serving as the Spring Lake Township Clerk, and numerous positions with Scott County. He was active with delivering meals on wheels, and volunteering his time at St Paul's Lutheran Church. His love was his family and the farm he was born on and the land that he was to attend. He lived a simple life, was always thinking, and he could fix just about everything. His knowledge of the land and every piece of equipment was second to the plat or owners manual. He had joy farming with his son, Brian, and was proud to drive Brian’s newer tractors and equipment. Even with all the technology, he would take off with a wave and a smile. He had a great ability to tell stories of his life and experiences, always having a smile and laugh to go with it. He was proud of his children and grandchildren. He loved his family and often said how blessed he was to have such a loving and caring family.

Willie is survived by wife, Gwendolyn Brandt; children, Lesley (Jim) Reinsberg, Lisa (Tim) Cleveland, Brian Brandt, and Peggy (Tim) Johnson; grandchildren, Katelin (Lucas) Raska, Kyle Reinsberg, Briana Cleveland, Callie Cleveland, Abby Johnson, Will Johnson, and Jacob Johnson; great-grandchild, Carter Raska; “his” most special dog, Bella; and other loving family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Viola Brandt; and sisters, Arlene Schmidt and Milda Borchardt.