Karola O. Woida

Karola O. Woida, age 83, of Urbank, died on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at Alomere Health in Alexandria.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Urbank with Fr. Peter VanderWeyst officiating. Music is provided by the church choir. Interment is at the church cemetery.

Visitation is 5-7 p.m., Monday, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Urbank and will continue one hour prior to the service.

Karola Ottilia was born May 29, 1938, in the small town of Heimbach, Germany.  She was the third of six children of Ludwig and Carolina (Pabst) Wagner.  She was baptized and confirmed at the Church of the Guardian Angels Catholic Parish in Heimbach.  She attended elementary school and graduated from high school in Heimbach.  Karola’s father worked as a tailor in the nearby town of Baumholder for the U.S. Army after World War II.  At age 15, she worked as his assistant at the U.S. Army base, sewing and mending soldiers’ uniforms.  This is where she met Eugene Woida in 1953.  They were united in marriage on November 21, 1955.  To this union three children were born: Donald, Ruth and Frederick.  The couple moved to the United States in 1957, and lived and worked in the Twin Cities.  Karola learned to speak and write English by learning along with her son, Donald when he started school.  Once she had learned the English language well enough, she studied hard and earned her U.S. Citizenship.  In 1971, they made the move to Urbank, where they opened an auto repair shop and gas station.  Karola was a great cook and enjoyed making meals and desserts for her family.  She enjoyed spending time with her children, and especially loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She would often take them to the lake to swim, with her shopping, or for an ice cream treat.  She also enjoyed quiet past times including reading, knitting, and watching her favorite TV shows.  She was proud to be a U.S. citizen and to raise her family here in Minnesota.

Karola is survived by her two sons, Don (Mary) of Brandon and Fred of Alexandria; daughter, Ruth (Don) Dickey of Brandon; eight grandchildren, Angie (Daryl) Thoennes, Becky (Craig) Barrows, Samantha (Connor) Kerr, Heather (Luke) Lachowitzer, Greg Dickey, Erica (Eric) Cornett, Skye Woida and Cody Woida; nine great-grandchildren, Christopher Woida, Thomas Barrows, Hailey and Makenna Thoennes, Nash and Mack Kerr, Liam and Harrison Lachowitzer, and Evelyn Cornett; brother, Reiner and two sisters, Gertrude and Elke all of Germany. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Eugene; brothers, Garrett and Leander Wagner; and brother-in-law, Heinrich Mueller.

Urnbearers are Daryl Thoennes, Craig Barrows, Connor Kerr, and Luke Lachowitzer.