Service Information
Immanuel United Methodist Church in Corcoran
Thursday, June 28th, 2012
11:00 A.M.

Visitation Information
AT THE FUNERAL HOME IN ST. MICHAEL
Wednesday, June 27th, 2012
6-8 P.M.

Lila Edith Polzin of St. Michael passed away in Buffalo, MN the morning of June 23, 2012 at the age of 86 after a long battle with numerous health issues. She was a butterfly that energized everyone her life touched.

Lila, born on November 15, 1925 in Dayton Township, MN, was the third child of Ernest and Mabel Klatt. She spent her youth growing up on the family farm until they moved to Corcoran when her Dad began a milk hauling business. She attended Robbinsdale High School where she graduated in 1943. Even during her later years, she continued to stay in touch with classmates and attended school reunions.

On December 9, 1944 she married Earle C. Polzin and began a marriage that lasted more than 52 years until Earle’s death in 1997. Following their marriage, Lila and Earle moved to Montrose, MN where they raised their three sons Richard, James, and Todd. Lila was a very active person in the community. She worked for nearly 30 years in the Montrose and neighboring community post offices until her retirement in 1986. With her roles in the post office and the community, she became well known to many of the residents and was given the unofficial title of “Mrs. Montrose”. She was also a charter member of the Montrose Town and Country Club where she established friendships with ladies in the area that have lasted in excess of 60 years. She rarely missed a Sunday service at the Montrose United Methodist Church and she was involved in many groups including the United Methodist Women.

Following her retirement, Lila and Earle moved to a townhouse in Maple Grove, MN. Lila returned to Immanuel United Methodist Church in Corcoran where her parents had been members and where she was confirmed as a child. While in Maple Grove, Lila participated in a bible study group and enjoyed meeting new friends with whom she traveled and spent time with socializing. Although she always missed leaving Montrose and all her friends, she remained in Maple Grove until 2004. At that time she moved to St. Michael to be closer to her family and friends. While in St. Michael, she could often be found at the Senior Center playing cards and, of course, meeting new people.

Even during her health challenges, her faith remained a significant part of her life and her trust in God’s will never wavered.

Lila was preceded in death by her husband Earle, grandson Kristian, parents Ernest and Mabel Klatt, brother Ralph Klatt , sisters Erma Jobes and Rose Masica, and several nieces, nephews, and other relatives. She is survived by sons Richard (Constance) Polzin of Stuart, FL, James (Ellen) Polzin of Wheaton, IL, and Todd (Lisa) Polzin of Hanover, MN; grandchildren Kelsey Chambers, Jessica, Mary Kate, Grace, Joshua, Sydney, and Cooper; great grandchildren Devin and Dagan Chambers; and many loving relatives.

Service for Lila was held at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Corcoran on Thursday June 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. The service was officiated by Pastor Gordon Estenson and Pastor Jonathan Lee.

Lila’s sons prepared the following memorial which was read during the service:

To Mom, from Ric, Jim and Todd,

The world’s greatest mother, Lila Polzin, passed away on June 23, 2012; at least that is the feeling of her three sons – Ric, Jim and Todd. Because Lila’s three boys were born ten years apart, each knew Lila at a different time in her life, and each have wonderful memories they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

Her eldest Ric remembers when Mom enrolled him in beginners swimming classes at Waverly Lake when he was six. To his surprise, Mom also enrolled herself. Lila had a fear of water, and she felt taking lessons with Ric would help her overcome her fear. For three years, they took lessons and graduated from the intermediate class together.

Her Jim remembers how Mom sacrificed countless Saturdays over many years driving him to and from his piano lessons in the “Big City.” Lila hated driving on city freeways and navigating the streets of Minneapolis, yet despite her worries, she was determined to help him follow his dream.

Her youngest Todd remembers many special times with his mother that included snuggling in their basement by the fire during the cold winter nights and helping her pick strawberries during the hours she spent in the garden. But, the memories he cherishes most are the times she spent with his children splashing in the pool, swinging on the play-set, or doing whatever their hearts desired. She would just beam when she was with them.

Finally, together with Mom, they share a common memory: her ten month struggle with a debilitating staph infection and other health complications it caused. It was an amazing journey that started with dark memories of pain and suffering but ended with beautiful memories of hope and joy. In her last weeks , Lila not only reached all her final goals – attending a Sunday service at her church, moving to Park View nursing home in Buffalo, and standing with her walker – but she lived her last weeks with passion. Her mind fully recovered, and she was once again able to tell stories, laugh at jokes, and play cards. Mom continued to teach life’s most important lessons – to live each day as if it were your last, to love with all your heart and soul, and to realize that miracles do happen.

But while Lila was a mother, she was also much more to the hundreds of people she touched during her 86 years.

Lila was a wife, married to Earle for 53 years. Earle and Lila loved each other very much. Like most couples, their time together was filled with “good times and bad”. While their love helped them overcome the bad times, they always took the time to celebrate the good ones. Earle passed away 14 1/2 years ago in 1997. Although Lila found the strength to continue on with her life, she always missed Earle. Not a day passed that Lila did not feel his presence, watching over her.

Lila was a Klatt girl, daughter to Mabel and Ernest Klatt, sister to Rose, Erma and Ralph, and niece, cousin, aunt and great-aunt to many Klatts, Kottkes, Pipenhagens, Masicas, Jobes, Polzins and Eberts. Lila lived for her family. When they needed help, she was always there for them. When offering words of encouragement was not enough, Lila would just start doing whatever she thought was needed. When her uncles, Clarence and Milton, were declining in health, she would visit them in their homes, making them meals, cleaning the house, and washing their cloths. She later arranged for them to live in a nursing home where she visited them until they passed away. When there was a family celebration, Lila was there. Laughing, catching up on family events, sharing past memories, and playing cards. Lila loved to play 500 and cribbage. If you were too young to know how to play, it was not a problem since Lila would gladly teach you.

Lila was “Mrs. Montrose”, a nickname given to her by the town’s mayor when Lila first started working as a clerk in the town’s post office. After marrying in 1944, Lila and Earle settled in Montrose where they raised their family, took care of Earle’s parents, and made many special friends. “Mrs. Montrose” was a perfect nickname for Lila. Working in the Montrose post office and other area locations, Lila knew everyone and everyone knew her. Lila’s infectious smile, outgoing personality, and welcoming spirit allowed her to make friends with pretty much everyone she met. She loved spending evenings socializing with her friends, on the sidewalks, in their homes, or at the local super club. While in Montrose, as a young woman, she loved to ride her horse, Lerp, which stood for Lila, Earle, Ric Polzin, and, in later years, snowmobile around Montrose and surrounding towns. Earle and Lila lived in Montrose until Earle retired from the Minnesota Highway Department in 1983 and Lila from the US Post office in 1988. Although in later years she lived in Maple Grove and St. Michael, she always maintained her love for Montrose and called it her home.

Lila was a dedicated follower of Christ and active member in her church communities, the Montrose United Methodist Church and Immanuel United Methodist Church in Corcoran. Her deep faith was a great comfort throughout her life and especially during her extended illness. While fighting hard the last ten months to recover from multiple infections and resulting complications, she never complained or asked “why me?” Rather she prayed often for healing and understanding and thanked God for the wonderful doctors and nurses caring for her and the all the visitors, cards and flowers she received. It was her faith that gave her the abiding peace she felt during the last days of her life.

Lila was a grandmother and great-grandmother. All her seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren were her special pride and joy. She loved watching them grow up through visits, phone calls, and emails. She enjoyed babysitting, frequent dinners and vacations with Josh, Sydney and Cooper, road trips to Chicago to visit Mary Kate and Grace, and flying to Florida to spend time with Kelsey, Jessica and her great grandchildren – Devin and Dagan.

Finally, Lila was the family historian. When Lila was 15, her Sunday school teacher gave her a little blue book. In this book Lila faithfully recorded the births, marriages, and deaths of all the people important to her. It was this book that kept her connected to all the joyful and sad moments throughout her life. It reminded her that although life has its hardships, if we look, God’s creation is full wonder and joy and will give us the strength we need to keep going until we reach our final destination.
With this said, Mom, it is with all the love in our hearts that we write one more name in the little blue book: your name. We thank you for so many wonderful memories. We thank you for raising us to be loving and caring men. We are proud of the life you led and the amazing person you were. We ask you to give dad a big hug and kiss from each of us, and to say “hi” to grandma and grandpa, Erma, Rose and Ralph and all the family and friends surrounding you. Don’t worry about us, or your daughters-in-law – Connie, Ellen, and Lisa, or grand children. We promise to be there for them like you were for us and to tell them often that we love them and are proud of them…just like you told us.

Good bye Mom, until we see you again.

With all our love, affection and thanks we have,
Your sons Ric, Jim and Todd