William E. Roscoe

WILLIAM ELDON ROSCOE was born to William Henry and Antoinette Anne (Heinz) Roscoe on January 31, 1929 in Pipestone, Minnesota. He was raised on a farm north of Pipestone and attended school in Verdi, Minnesota. After his high school graduation, he attended school at Miller Technical Institute in Minneapolis where he became a certified welder. Upon completion of his education, he returned to the family homestead and partnered its operation with his dad. On July 7, 1951, he was united in marriage to Joan Stolte in Pipestone. Following their marriage they took over full operation of the family farm. In 1975, they moved into Pipestone where Bill worked as a realtor with United Farm Agency. Then, in 1982, he became a car salesman for Paula Motors in Brookings, South Dakota and later Amdahl Motors in Pipestone. After 56 years of marriage, Joan preceded him in death on July 12, 2007. After her death, Bill continued to live in Pipestone. In November, 2009, he became a resident at Sunrise Manor in Jasper, Minnesota and then moved to Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone on December, 2011. On July 1, 2013, he entered the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone where he died on Monday, July 8, 2013 at the age of 84 years, five months and eight days.

Bill was a very active member of St. Leo's parish, serving as a third-degree Knight of Columbus, parish council member, usher, host at church dinners, and a cook of the infamous St. Leo 'Mulligan Stew'. He served on the Verdi School Board and acted as chairman for a number of years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and attending the sporting events of his children and grandchildren. Bill was known for his strength and perseverance as he survived eight brain surgeries and fought to rehabilitate the resulting paralysis. Refusing to be held back by his disability, he continued to golf with one hand and eventually got a one handed hole-in-one while golfing at the Pipestone Country Club at the age of 76. As a father, Bill will be remembered for the endless hours he pitched softballs to his ten children, and for never getting his own fishing line in the water as he baited hundreds of fish hooks and untangled thousands of lines. All of his loved ones and friends will remember him for his boisterous laugh and sparkling blue eyes as he retold stories of the old days.

He is lovingly remembered by his children, Tim Roscoe of Pipestone, Minnesota, and his children Jennifer and her husband Lane Nord and three children Brandi, Bailey and Braelyn, and Jason and his daughter Ellyanna, and Matt, and Mandy and her husband Eric Van Grootheest and their daughter, Sydney; Andrea and her husband John Baule of Sheridan, Wyoming, and their children Joy Hayworth and her child Jacob, and John Jr. and his wife Valorie, and Kristin; Joe and his wife Debbie of Omaha, Nebraska and his children Samantha Armbruster and her husband Chad and son Alexander, and Brady and stepdaughter Laura; Mike and his wife Faye Roscoe of Gilroy, California and their children Christopher and David and his daughter Ivy; Nancy Hup of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Julie and her husband Mark Reed of Brookings, South Dakota, and their children Addi, Brody, and Micah; Tom and his wife Darcy Roscoe of Big Stone City, South Dakota, and their children Ramsey, Jesse and Rikki; Mary and her husband Mike Meuwissen of Eagan, Minnesota, and their children Teresa and Jack; Teresa and her husband Kelly Madsen of Fort Pierre, South Dakota, daughter Clare and stepdaughter Mariah; and Patty and her husband Paul Laney of Fargo, North Dakota and stepdaughters Danielle and Katie. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Jane Aspaas and her husband Neal Eddy; and his brother-in-law, Dale Stolte and his wife Judy, all of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and numerous cousins. He is preceded in death by his wife, Joan; his parents; brother-in-law Bill Stolte and special friend Martha Koch.