Luella M. Custer, age 96, of Annandale, formerly of Buffalo, died Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Annandale Care Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 11, 2016 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Waverly with Fr. Kenneth O'Hotto as Celebrant. Burial will follow at the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday and 9-10:15 a.m. Friday, both at the church. A prayer service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Luella Marie Custer was born September 16, 1919 in Waverly, Minnesota to George and Lillian (Boehlke) Claessens. Luella grew up in Waverly and graduated from St. Mary's High School with the Class of 1938. On October 18, 1941 Luella was united in holy matrimony to James William Custer at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Waverly. They lived in the Maple Lake area prior to moving out to Downey, California in 1954. While living in California Luella worked as a waitress at Al's Barbeque and as an assembly line worker making suitcases for Halliburton while also raising her two sons. In the 1970s, the family moved to Buffalo, Minnesota where Luella and James retired. As Luella's health started to decline she entered the Annandale Care Center.  Luella was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and former member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Buffalo. She was also a 70 year member of the Waverly American Legion Auxiliary Post #305. Luella enjoyed playing cards and going on outings. Above all, she cherished the time she was able to spend with her family and her beloved Minnesota Twins baseball team.

Luella is survived by her two sons and their spouses, Lee and Sue Custer of Annandale and Tom and Chris Custer of Brownsville; grandchildren, Dan (Stacey) Custer of Browerville and Shanan Custer (Eric Webster) of Minneapolis; great grandchildren, Andrew, Tristan, and Kate; and honorary grandchildren, Ezra, Gabby, Abby, and Ellie. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Mabel Pelegrino and brother, LeRoy "Bud" Claessens.

ElRoy Boehlke, Edward Boehlke, Tom Bakerberg, Wayne Custer, Dan L. Custer, and Dan Custer will serve as pallbearers. St. Mary's Choir will provide music for the service. Arrangements are entrusted to Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Annandale.