February 2025

BACK THEN

20 YEARS AGO: NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF MARCH 3, 2005 After family and friends, flushing toilets and running water were what some returning soldiers missed most while in Iraq. “It will be nice to brush my teeth with running water again instead of bottled water,” said Spc. Tim Krouth of Litchfield. Krouth was one of 28 National Guard soldiers from the Alpha Company 682nd Engineer Battalion based in Litchfield who returned home Tuesday morning. Alpha Company was deployed to Iraq in December 2003. Soldiers spent about 12 months in the country, building medical treatment centers and a detainment facility near the city of An Najaf, said Sgt. David Kauppi, who works at the Litchfield Armory base.

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Remembering the Van Spence family

As Black History Month comes to a close, it is only fitting that we share a bit of Meeker County’s Black history. If you know some of the local history, the name Albert Van Spence might be familiar to you. He was born into slavery, escaped, fought for the Union Army in the Civil War, and later moved to Litchfield where he became a part of the G.A.R. and the community as a whole. But what became of his children?

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We like letters

The Litchfield Rail encourages letters to the editor from readers who wish to share their opinion. However, we ask that letter writers abide by a few ground rules:

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CALEB W. WILLNER

Caleb W. Willner, 47 of Milaca passed away on February 19, 2025, surrounded by his family at his home. Memorial Services will be from 12 - 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Borgholm Townhall, 16041 70th Ave., Milaca. Caleb William was born to Roger and Barbara (Kliche) Willner on June 12, 1977, in Litchfield. As a young child he was brought to the Lord in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and on May 18, 1992, he publicly professed his faith in the Rite of Confirmation becoming a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield. While growing up in Litchfield with his parents and sister, Tiffany, he enjoyed fishing at Lake Ripley, playing softball, wrestling, bowling, and helping his father in the garden. In 2002 he met Dita Gillette and later they moved to Brook Park where they married on September 2, 2005. Together they had two children and then moved to the Milaca area in 2007. Caleb enjoyed hunting, fishing, working on automobiles, and helping others fix different types of small machinery. He loved to share his hunting and fishing stories with all those who would listen. Caleb went to St. Cloud Technical College for the diesel technician program and then worked for Astech Corp. Eventually he worked for North Central Utilities where he stayed until the time he was diagnosed with cancer. Caleb is survived by his wife, Dita Willner; their children, Hunter and Elizabeth Willner; his son, Ryan (MaKenzi) Willner; granddaughter, Aurora; mother, Barbara Willner, sister, Tiffany Willner; nephew, Allan; mother-in-law, Anita Lavell; father-in-law, Robert Gillette; sister-in-law, Misty Gillette; niece, Claire; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Roger Willner; cousin, Billy Kliche; grandparents, Don and Virginia Kliche-Toutges and Herb and Grace Willner; and father-in-law, Patrick Lavell. Arrangements have been entrusted to Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes, Princeton.

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