Lillian Vilhauer, 90 of Fargo, died Friday, May 6, 2016 surrounded by her family at Villa Maria Retirement Home.

Lillian was born July 8, 1925 to William and Barbara Sayler in Wishek, ND. She grew up on a farm near Wishek. On June 7, 1947, Lillian married Harold Vilhauer in Jamestown, ND. They farmed in South Dakota until moving to Jamestown in 1954 and eventually to Fargo in 1965.

Lillian worked several part time jobs including the Fargo Nursing Home, Dakota Clinic, and providing daycare for many children. Her greatest love however, was being a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, and serving her Lord and Savior by volunteering at her church. She was a wonderful wife to Harold and a great mother to their four children - David, Lois, Mary, and Tim.

Lillian was very involved with her church. She was a Sunday school teacher for many years, volunteered with VBS, and served in the women’s group. She also sang in the choir, served in the children’s bus ministry and helped anywhere else she was needed. Lillian enjoyed gardening, reading, crocheting, quilting, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren – Dalynne, Jeffery, Nicholas, Emily, Lisa, and Laura.

Lillian is survived by her daughters, Lois (Gary) Withnell and Mary Vilhauer (Ted), and son, Tim (Amy) Vilhauer, all of Fargo; daughter-in-law, Carolyn Cariens, Fairfield, IL; grandchildren, Dalynne Nyiri of Avondale, AZ, Jeffery (Melissa) Cariens of Mt. Vernon, IL, Nicholas Withnell of Fargo, Emily (Sam) Twedt of McHenry, ND, Lisa (Mike) Jensen of Fargo, and Laura Vilhauer of Fargo; great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Chase, Nora, Brynn, and Julia; and sisters, Hulda and Erna.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Harold; son, David; great-granddaughter, Kaylin; brothers, Leo, Albert, and Wilbert; and sisters, Alma and Esther.