William Vern Obermeier

William Vern Bill Obermeier, age 81, Clark, died at the Golden Living Center at Clark on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 with his loving family at his side. He had resided there since September 17. Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 30, 2009 at 10:30 AM in the Crocker Lutheran Church at Crocker with Minister Marion Grimes officiating. The pianist will be Marvine Obermeier with special music being presented by Bill Henry Obermeier playing the harmonica. The congregation will sing "This is My Father's World", "Day by Day" and "Softly and Tenderly, Jesus is Calling". Casketbearers that were chosen by Bill will be Wilkes, Serena, Fritz, Kipp and Martha Obermeier, Rod Christman, Jr. Dunlavy and Patty Neuman. Burial will follow in the St. Thomas Cemetery at Crocker. A dinner will follow the interment at the Bradley Community Center at Bradley. Visitation hours, with the family present, will be on Sunday at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark from 3-6PM. Visitation will continue at the Church on Monday morning after 9AM. William Vern Bill Obermeier, age 81, Clark, died at the Golden Living Center at Clark on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, with his loving family at his side. He had resided there since September 17. Bill Obermeier was born on October 30, 1928, on the farm, south of Crocker, SD, the son of Henry and Anna (Bjerke) Obermeier. He attended school at Crocker for his elementary education and then finished his schooling at Bradley, graduating in 1948. Following his schooling, he went to enlist in the Army, but was not accepted due to medical reasons. Bill had been badly burned in 1944 and because of that, the Army recruiter advised against his enlistment. Bill returned to the family farm and assisted there. On August 11, 1951, he was united in marriage to Jeanne Fromdahl of Bradley at Grubbs, AR. The couple returned to the area, living in Clark, while Bill worked at Kyles Hardware. They then moved to Roseburg, OR, and in the spring of 1956, they moved to Big Piney, WY, where he worked in a logging camp. In the fall of 1956, they moved to the farm near Crocker and lived there until moving to Groton in the late 1950s. While living in Groton, Bill worked for various businesses while he, Jeanne, Fritz and Marvine owned and operated a Laundromat there and in Ipswich. They sold that business in the spring of 1964 and returned to the family farm south of Crocker. In the fall of 1964, the family moved to the Potter farm southwest of Crocker and eventually purchased it in 1976 and it became the Obermeier Ranch, LLP. Jeanne died on October 25, 1995. Bill continued living and working on the ranch. In the fall of 2001, he met Jean Alness Olson. They were married in the Crocker Lutheran Church on November 29, 2003. They moved to her farm in Woodland Township where they have lived since. On July 8 of this year, Bill entered the hospital and has been in various medical facilities since that time. Some of Bills fondest moments were spent hunting, playing baseball in his younger years,and watching it in later years, and riding his 4-wheeler, even figuring out a way in his mind that he could get on and off after the loss of his leg. He enjoyed reading on a multitude of different subjects, listening to the radio, and having a dog with him. He also treasured the company of his grandchildren. Bill will long be remembered for his wit, playing practical jokes on so many, and his teasing and his smile, up to the time of his death. Bill had a huge heart and was truly a loving husband, dad, grandpa, brother, Uncle Bill, brother-in-law and friend to many. He was a member of the Crocker Lutheran Church where he had served on the council and helped usher. Preceding Bill in death were his parents, his first wife, Jeanne, a daughter-in-law, Lorie (Reppe) Obermeier, brothers, Henry W. Son, Clayton G. and Clifford Obermeier and a sister-in-law, Mary Lou Obermeier, brother-in-law, Jim Britton and a special hired man, Jim Strichertz. Grateful for having shared in his life are his wife, Jean, sons Fred and Ted, grandchildren Wilkes and Serena all of Clark, siblings, Walt Obermeier of San Diego, CA, Evelyn Britton, Carl F. Fritz (Marvine) Obermeier all of Clark, sisters-in-law, Betty Obermeier of St. Paul, MN, Judy (Alan) Manchester of Morrison, IL and Wendy (Rod) Christman of Clark. An on-line registry and guestbook is available at www.furnessfuneralhome.com