Edwin Eugene Walhof

Edwin “Ed” Walhof, age 82, of Willmar, passed away on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar. A memorial service will be held at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home, 700 Becker Ave. SW, Willmar on March 23, 1:00pm. A Celebration of life will be held immediately following at The Oaks at Eagle Creek, 1000 26^th Ave. NE, Willmar.  His ashes will be interred in Edgerton, Minnesota, at a later date.  Memorials can be sent in Ed’s name to the American Heart Association. Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.  www.petersonbrothers.com

Edwin Eugene Walhof was born on May 10, 1940, to Peter Edward and Florence Christians Walhof on their farm just east of Edgerton, Minnesota. The next year they bought a farm between Edgerton and Pipestone, Minnesota, where Ed lived until he left home to go to the University.

Three siblings were born into the family, Curt, Karen, and Susan. Ed grew up on the family farm and learned how to do almost everything – crop farming, milking dairy cows, raising cattle, fixing farm equipment, and mending fences. He especially enjoyed training and riding horses, including his own horse, Ginger. In addition to working on the farm, he worked at Brink Implement, Edgerton, during summer breaks.

He attended Edgerton Christian Grade School and Southwest Christian High School, both in Edgerton, then left after graduation to attend the University of Minnesota with plans to become a veterinarian. While attending the university, he began work at Buckbee Mears, Inc., in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he learned about manufacturing circuit boards. Soon after, he and a partner established their own circuit board company, initially located in downtown St. Paul, moving to New Brighton, Minnesota, in the 1970s.

In 1962, Ed married Marilyn Van Reulder. Two daughters were born to that union – Cindy and Victoria. Ed and his family lived in Richfield, Brainerd, Roseville, and New Brighton, Minnesota. Ed was very involved in the business community in New Brighton, and especially enjoyed leadership on the board for the New London–New Brighton Antique Car Run. He sold his part of the company in 1994.

In 1995, Ed married Lisa Timm, and thereby inherited a step-daughter, Kayla. They moved to Spicer, Minnesota, where they enjoyed life on Green Lake for many years. He was involved in numerous community organizations there. For many years, he planned and led the Antique Car Run runabouts to venues around New London. He loved working on his antique cars. He also rediscovered his love of horses and owned several of them.

In 2017, Ed suffered a stroke and moved into Bethesda Assisted Living in Willmar. Although frustrated with his limitations, he worked hard to recover mobility and conversation, and made some dear friends there. He also picked up his hobby of woodworking again.

On March 15, he fell in his apartment at Bethesda and suffered brain hemorrhages. After a few days care at Rice Memorial Hospital, he was moved into hospice, where he died on March 18.

He is survived by daughter Cindy (Paul) Varhol of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, with children Tyler and Trent; daughter Victoria (Steve) Franke of Fargo, North Dakota; step-daughter Kayla (Adam) Mathwig of Wellington, Florida, with children Cooper, Hayden, and Lincoln; brother Curt (Kathy) Walhof of Edgerton, Minnesota; sister Karen Walhof of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and sister Susan (Keith) Van Ee of Pella, Iowa, along with their children.

Ed is predeceased by his parents, Pete and Florence Walhof.