She was born on June 13, 1924 in Breslau to William Fojt and Bessie Motal Fojt.
Willie Mae grew up in Breslau with her four siblings. At the age of fifteen, she began her first job as a live-in nanny for a local family. Around 1942, Willie Mae then moved on to Swift and Company in Yoakum, eventually being transferred to the San Antonio branch with a group of local girls.
She later met Leonard G. Darilek whom she married on April 21, 1952 at St. Joseph’s Church in Moulton and remained life-long parishoners.
Willie Mae and Leonard moved to Henkhaus and worked hard making a life for themselves on the family farm. As they welcomed three children - Mark, Geraldine, and Deborah – Willie Mae proudly took on a second job at Textan in Yoakum to help pay the bills. She spent 13 years working for the company until she retired to begin caring for her many grandchildren. She and Leonard shared 51 years of marriage and many wonderful memories.
Willie Mae loved her family and friends. She always looked forward to the monthly family dinners where she could feed and love on all her children, grandchildren, and even great- grandchildren. Willie Mae was an avid gardener, a great cook, and an excellent housekeeper, being especially known for her superior ironing skills. She took such pride in her home and never met a stranger. Willie Mae was a true servant at heart and spent her life always looking after others.
Willie Mae was preceded in death by her parents, husband Leonard G. Darilek, brothers Erwin Fojt and William Harvey Fojt, sisters Anita Buesing and Dorothy Siegel, and grandsons Bradley Darilek and Matthew Pohler. She is survived by her children Mark Darilek, daughter Geraldine Pohler (Donald), daughter Deborah Novosad (Marlon), grandchildren Melanie Nevlud (Douglas), Tristan Pohler (Caitlin), Wesley Pohler (Whitney), Amber Nieto (Brian), Kellie Haas (Jason), Lindsay Kasper (Steven), Joshua Pohler (Lauren), Kevin Darilek, Joel Novosad (Ashley), Christopher Darilek, Nicholas Pohler, Jacob Novosad (Kelley), and 16 great-grandchildren plus two on the way.
Pallbearers- Tristan Pohler, Wesley Pohler, Joshua Pohler, Nicholas Pohler, Joel Novosad, Jacob Novosad, Kevin Darilek, and Christopher Darilek
