Willa Dean Lauruhn (Dean) passed away September 10, 2018 at Lincoln-Donalson Care Center in Fayetteville, TN, four hours before her 81st birthday.
Born September 11, 1937 to the late George Higgins and Mattie Lou Stewart in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Bruce J. Lauruhn; sister, Naomi Wallace; nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, great-grand-nieces and nephews and great great grand nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Melvin and Wilburn and sisters, Vilda, Priscilla, Martha, and Mildred.
She attended grade school at Howell Hill and graduated from Flintville High School in 1955. After graduation, Willa, known mostly as Dean or Aunt Dean, attended nursing training at the Lincoln County Hospital where she also worked for a few years. After marriage in 1965, she was a homemaker living in Milwaukee, WI for ten years. In 1975, they moved to Nashville, TN where they lived until 2001 after which they moved back to her hometown of Fayetteville, Tennessee. She enjoyed flower gardening and had some very nice azaleas, dogwoods, wisteria and lilies in Nashville. It was not unusual for her husband to come home from work and have to dig some holes to plant a shrub or tree. The beauty of her backyard in Nashville is what sold her home there so quickly. She also must have paid attention to her momma because she was an excellent cook when first married. She was a member of The Church of Christ
Funeral service will be at Higgins Funeral Home on Friday September 14, 2018 at 2:00 PM. Visitation will be from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Bro. James Strope will conduct the service. Burial will follow in Riverview Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Liberty Church of Christ at 8 Cutoff Lane, Fayetteville, TN 37334.
Bruce, we are so sorry about Dean.!!
I always loved Aunt Willa Dean’s southern accent. I’m happy to know she and I share the love of gardening.
Love, Kelli
With all the distance our lives make for us, that keep us physically apart, a memory of a very special person has no distance. Willa Dean, as we knew her, was an aunt who was always a pleasure to see, I will always have fond memories of her. Love to you , Bruce.
Aunt Dean was a very memorable person in my life even though I rarely saw her. She had an awesome southern accent that I just loved. When she referred to me it came out sounding like Kaylee (Kelli). Sorry for your loss Uncle Bruce. Love, Kelli
I graduated with Willa. I am so sorry my sympathy to the family.