William “Bill” Mayer, 75, of Mitchell, passed away Thursday, March 23, 2017, at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital under hospice care.
Funeral services were Tuesday, March 28, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mitchell with burial in the Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery, also in Mitchell. Visitation with a 7 p.m. prayer service was Monday, March 27, at the church.
Bill was born July 22, 1941, in Parkston to Peter and Clara (Ebersdorfer) Mayer. He grew up in the Dimock area and attended Dimock Catholic School. He helped on the family farm and also worked as a farmhand.
Bill was united in marriage to Charlotte “Chuckie” Schmidt on Sept. 14, 1963, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston. They lived in Parkston, Mt. Vernon, Longmont, Colo., and currently resided in Mitchell.
He spent his life in the carpentry field, including Mayer Construction that he and his brother, Lou, began in 1972. He was then employed at local lumberyards, retiring from Ethan Co-op Lumber in 2004. Bill was a six-year member of the South Dakota National Guard, Ethan Trailriders, South Dakota Lumberman’s Association and the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo Committee.
Bill enjoyed attending auctions and spending time hunting, fishing and antiquing. He liked playing cards, marbles, and Farkle with family and friends, and testing his luck at area casinos.
Bill is survived by his wife of 53 years, Charlotte “Chuckie”; children, Tammy (Paul) Frost of Letcher, Todd (Dawn) Mayer of Fulton, and Teresa (Pete) Sprinkel of Mitchell; seven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; brothers, Edmund (Arlene) and Daniel (Shirley) of Mitchell; sisters, Adeline Heisinger of Mitchell, Florance Rokusek of Freeman, Jean (Roger) Shipman of Paola, Kan., and Sister Janice Mayer of Yankton; sisters-in-law, Marlene Mayer of Anaheim, Calif., and Karen Mayer, and Linda (Dave) Hauser of Dimock; brothers-in-law, Loren (Barb) and Linus (Dorothy) Schmidt of Parkston; numerous nieces and nephews; and his faithful, furry friend, Cubby.
He was preceded in death by his parents; father and mother-in-law, Al and Rose Schmidt; brothers, James, Harvey, Peter and Louis; sisters, Ragena (Toots) Parker, Delores Hafner, and Clara (Sherri) Novachich; sister-in-law, Sally Mayer; and brothers-in-law, William Ven-Osdel, Gus Parker, Al Hafner, James Novachich, Fran Rokusek and Louis Heisinger.
Arrangements were with Bittner Funeral Chapel.