William R. "Bill" Holmquist, 88, of West Bend, passed away peacefully at home on the morning of October 7, 2014.
A native of Red Wing, MN, Bill was born on December 14, 1925 to William and Tina (Jagusch) Holmquist. He attended grade school and high school in Red Wing, graduating in 1943.
Bill joined the US Navy in 1944 and, after boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, attended Naval Radio Training School at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
World War II was in full swing and in January 1945 Bill began service on a naval destroyer, the USS Hutchins DD476. He saw action in several major battles in the Pacific, including the Invasion of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. His ship was attacked by a Japanese kamikaze boat, suffered major damage, and was eventually towed back to the US, where Bill was reassigned to the USS Arlington APA 151. He joined the American Legion in 1946 and is currently a member of the Lt. Ray Dickop Post # 36 in West Bend.
Using the GI Bill, in 1946 he began his studies at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. While at Carleton, Bill was active in campus life and was elected President of the Student Association. He graduated in 1950 and began work in a series of sales positions for Butler Brothers, Community Concerts Inc., and Marathon Paper Corp. in Menasha, WI. During that time he met his wife, Marilyn, who was a teacher in Appleton, WI.
Bill and Marilyn Moeller were united in marriage on April 7, 1956 at St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church, West Bend, and soon made West Bend their home. Bill was hired by BC Ziegler and Company in 1957, holding a number of different positions before eventually being named Senior Vice President of Marketing. He retired in 1989 and continued his already active role at church and in the community.
Bill served for ten years on the West Bend School District Board of Education, including the last five years as president. He was a founding member of the Washington County Historical Society Foundation, a board member of the Volunteer Center of Washington County, treasurer of the Washington County Memorial Park Cemetery Board, an original board member of the West Bend Beautification Committee (Roots and Branches), and served as treasurer of the Board of Bethesda Lutheran Home in Watertown for over 20 years. Bill was a 40-year member and past president of the West Bend Noon Kiwanis Club and was instrumental in the club sponsoring the lighting of the Old Courthouse Tower, which became a symbol of West Bend. Bill was also a member of the West Bend Country Club for over 50 years.
A long-time active member of St John's Ev. Lutheran Church, Bill served two terms as president of the congregation, taught adult and teen bible studies, and was also a founding member of the St. Johns Foundation Board.
Bill loved music and was an accomplished trumpet player for most of his life. He was a bugler in the US Navy, played in both high school and college bands, and directed drum and bugle corps, including the Boys Brigade in Menasha. In West Bend, he was a member of the brass ensemble at St. John's and an original member of the River City Irregulars.
After retirement, and until recently, Bill was a faithful member of the "Walkers"a