Mabel Viola Weisenburger Willoughby
July 28, 1931 – March 2, 2019
Mabel Viola Weisenburger Willoughby passed away peacefully on March 2, 2019, at the Overland Park Assisted Living Center in Boise, Idaho. She was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, the daughter of John J. Weisenburger and Emelia Rosenau.
Mabel’s childhood years were spent in Brantford, North Dakota, where she enjoyed the life of a small town girl living in a very large blended family. In 1949, she married Darwin Willoughby. They farmed near Grace City, North Dakota for almost 40 years. Mabel and Darwin had three children: Douglas, Malinda, and John.
While living in North Dakota, Mabel led an active life in the community. She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church, where the entire family remained members while living in Grace City. Mabel was a member of the Grace City Homemaker’s Club. She was active in her children’s education by serving as a school PTA member, she was a member of Band Mothers, and she also drove school bus for many years.
In 1989, Mabel moved to Boise, Idaho to be near her daughter and son-in-law. She enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling, and camping. She loved the occasional Nevada gambling outings and became quite proficient at video poker. She enjoyed attending country music concerts, and the highlight was getting her picture taken with Ms. Loretta Lynn in Las Vegas, Nevada. Many of her summers were spent vacationing in Montana where she enjoyed even more country music concerts with her son and his wife, as well as spending quality time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In recent years, she found company with her many friends where she enjoyed a good game of bingo at the Kuna Senior Citizens Center. When home alone, PBR kept her company, as she was an avid fan.
Mabel is survived by her children: Malinda (Richard) Bergan, Boise, Idaho, and John (Nikki) Willoughby, Helena, Montana. She is survived by her grandchildren: Daniel (Kirsten) Willoughby, Harden, Montana; Patrick Willoughby, Billings, Montana; and Kiri (Matt) Feber, currently stationed with the U.S. Army in Missouri. She is survived by six great-grandchildren: Koy, Cooper, and Cheyenne Willoughby; Tostan and Rylan Feber. She is also survived by three brothers: Eugene, Ted, and Don Weisenburger.
Mabel is preceded in death by her parents, stepmother Philemena Weisenburger, her husband Darwin, and her son Douglas. She is also preceded in death by her siblings: Ervin Weisenburger, Melvin Weisenburger, Florence Flegal, Doris Exe, and Alice Schnell.
A private family service will take place in Montana at a later date. In memory of Mabel, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association—Greater Idaho Chapter, 2995 N. Cole Rd., Suite 120, Boise Idaho 83704.