Wynn Eldon Babcock

Wynn Eldon Babcock of Oak Park Heights, Minnesota passed peacefully at home on September 20, 2026. Wynn was born February 27, 1955 in Blue Earth, Minnesota to Fern (Weber) and C. Romaine Babcock of rural Delavan, Minnesota.

Wynn grew up on the farm with his parents and brother Darrell Babcock and sister (Rochelle) Shelly Brown (Babcock). He enjoyed water skiing on local lakes with family. Wynn attended Delavan Public Schools. He particularly enjoyed making a science project model of a moon space station, playing percussion in band and marching band, and woodshop where he made a doored six-sided end table.

Wynn attended Mankato State (College) University, graduating with a degree in accounting. At MSU, Wynn met Beverly Hubert. Together, they enjoyed movies, music, and long conversations. One summer, Wynn talked his parents into a side trip to California to meet up at Disneyland with Beverly and her family. Wynn proposed while skiing double at Bass Lake. They were married September 4, 1976.

Wynn gained accounting experience quickly and over the years had a number of accounting manager and controller positions with manufacturing firms.

Wynn and Beverly have three children: Mariah Benesh (Nick), Hilary Lemus (Herb) and Angeline Babcock. Three grandchildren (Cassidy) River Benesh, Sadie Lemus and Cali Lemus. He loved being with each of them and took many trips and adventures with all, particularly camping, going to many state and national parks, days at the zoo, science museums, art galleries, camper shows, theater productions, movies, and many back yard adventures - chain sawing trees, building swing sets, having campfires with s'mores and grilled sausages.

Wynn enjoyed building and carpentry. He put on a master bedroom, dining room and garage addition to our first home, and quickly graduated to building a complete 5-bedroom home in 1986 from the ground up (excavating and pouring footings, laying block, framing walls, roof trusses, and support beams, installing insulation, sheet rock, stairs and railings, and finishes). Wynn took a leave from his job at the time (Control Data), and did most of the work by himself, with occasional help from family and friends. Mariah loved playing in the many puddles on the lot with a stick, and when Hilary was born, we had to be careful not to put her car seat in a puddle and keep her under the roof, in the shade. Mariah became very good at using the hand vacuum, helping clean up debris and carpet fuzz. We moved in and carved our first pumpkins in the new house, in October 1986. When Angeline joined our family in 1988, Wynn was finishing the lower level and putting up wall paper, after returning to Control Data.

Over the years, Wynn continued to remodel the many houses we called home - changing layouts, gutting rooms, using the sledge hammer, and chain saw became stress relief from his accounting jobs, and his hate of plumbing grew when a bath tub needed to be removed from a second story bathroom (just smash it up and throw it out the window!) It was important to Wynn to teach his children skills like how to put down hard wood floors, sheet rock, install lighting, and yes, "fix toilets". Wynn had remarkable carpentry skills - he fabricated custom windows - frames and all, and crafted an entire kitchen of custom wood cabinets.

Wynn enjoyed going to the state fair, Garrison Keillor shows, theater and shows at the Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Guthrie, Chanhassen, as well as community and college theaters. And he loved fireworks on the 4th of July, and Lumberjack Days at Lowell Park in Stillwater. Wynn especially enjoyed the fireworks at Walt Disney World - Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

Most of all, Wynn loved his family and doing things together as a family. He made sure everyone was cared for and knew that he loved them. He took care to make sure that everyone was included in all of the adventures, explorations, and activities. Wynn was a master at the long Minnesota good-bye.

Wynn is survived by his wife of 50 years, Beverly; and children, Mariah (Nick) Benesh, Hilary (Herb) Lemus, and Angeline Babcock; 3 grandchildren, (Cassidy) River Benesh, Sadie Lemus and Cali Lemus; brother, Darrell (Sharon) Babcock; sister, Shelly Brown; nephews, Brent Babcock (and family) and Ross Babcock. He is preceded in death by his parents, C. Romaine and Fern Babcock; and brother-in-law, Rev. David Brown.

Memorial Service 2pm Sunday, October 25th at Bradshaw, 2800 Curve Crest Blvd., Stillwater, with visitation beginning one hour prior.