Lydia Wills

Madison - Lydia Wills [Robold] passed away peacefully on March 20th, 2018 in Shawnee, Kansas. She was 89. Lydia was born in Nurnberg, Germany on June 5th, 1928 to Katie and Josef Robold. She learned English at an early age because her father told her it was the best thing she could do for herself. Her English skills landed her a job as a translator for the United States Military after the war. It was there that she met a young airman from Newark, Ohio by the name of Herbert Wills. They married in 1948 and moved to Ohio. She felt welcomed by her new family and would frequently say she had the best mother-in-law ever. In 1951 she became an American citizen, of which she was extremely proud.

She accompanied her husband on his tour of duties to Spain, Germany and numerous cities in the U.S. She always worked wherever her husband was stationed. After Herbert retired from the military in 1969, the couple settled in Madison, Wisconsin where Lydia worked as a co-editor for the Rural Electric Co-op paper.

Lydia was a very active grandmother to her two grandsons. She frequently vacationed with them and her daughter, and even took the boys to Nuremburg, Germany to meet her family. A memory they'll always cherish.

Her last job was at the Boston Store in Madison, retiring at the age of 78. In February 2015 moved with her daughter and son-in-law to Kansas City, Missouri, where she resided until her death. The past few years were not easy for her but she lived them on her own terms.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, husband, two sisters, son-in-law, sister- in-law, numerous brothers-in-law. She is survived by her daughter Diana, Diana's husband Greg of Kansas City, MO, grandson Joe and partner Jeff of Madison, WI, grandson Paul, his wife Rachel, and their son, Lydia's great-grandson, Elijah of Brooklyn, NY, and niece Bianca of Nuremburg, Germany. Heaven will never be the same now that Lydia's there!

Special thank you to the staff and caretakers at the Brookdale in Shawnee, KS for all their efforts to provide Lydia good care while being respectful of her independent spirit. Also a heartfelt thank you to the phenomenal staff at Ascend Hospice in KS.

A memorial service will be held later this summer at Cress Funeral Home in Madison, WI.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434