Wilton Croonquist

Wilton F. "Wilt" Croonquist, age 69, of Willmar, died Saturday morning, October 14, at his home following a year long battle with cancer.
Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 21, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar. A private interment will be in Tripolis Lutheran Cemetery near Kandiyohi. Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church with a Celebration of Life Service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. Memorials are preferred to the Bethel Lutheran Church Seminary Fund, Gustavus Adolphus College, Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center or Rice Hospice.
Wilton Francis "Wilt" Croonquist was born on June 3, 1937, in Willmar, the son of Frances (Mattson) and George A. Croonquist. He grew up in the rural Kandiyohi community, was baptized and confirmed at Tripolis Lutheran Church and graduated from Willmar High School in 1955. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1959. On August 4, 1962, he married Elizabeth A. "Betty" Kitchell. For many years he was employed by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. He worked as a store manager and sales manager in Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Akron, Ohio, and as a district manager in Salt Lake City, Utah, and later owned his own store in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. In 1979, he returned to Willmar where he owned and operated the Kandi Tire Company at the Skylark Mall. He was the Executive Director of the Kandiyohi County Economic Partnership and Rural Development Finance Authority from 1989 to 2002. He was an Economic Consultant for Barlow Projects, Inc. in Ft. Collins, Colorado.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; a son, Jeffrey (and Jill) Croonquist of St. Paul; a daughter, Pamela Jo (and Michael) Terres of New Hope and four grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Willis (and Rita) Croonquist of Golden Valley and Gaylin (and Jane) Croonquist of Brandon and other relatives and friends.