William Francis 'Bill" Myers of Custer, SD died at his home on May 4, 2009 from Sarcoma Cancer.

Bill was born in Wilmington, DE on February 15, 1934. He was the son of Alfred Foster Myers and Marian Cole. At age nine, after his mother's death, he and his sister, Dorothy, lived with their Aunt Cora Cole Smoot in Prince Frederick, MD, where he graduated from high school in 1952. He attended Western Maryland College before enlisting in the United States Air Force, serving in French Morocco at a radio site. He was honorably discharged at Ft. Snelling, Mpls. in 1957.

Bill and Virginia Thronson were married on July 12, 1957 at Erdahl Lutheran Church, Erdahl, MN. Bill worked as a floorwalker at Donaldson's in Minneapolis, MN for a year. He attended Wahpehton School of Science previous to working for A.C. & Mark Bucholz at Interstate Credit Corporation in Milbank, SD. He began work at Milbank Mutual/Royal Insurance Company in 1961, retiring in 1992. Bill helped the Mundwiler Family many years with their Funeral Home and Ambulance service, and worked part-time after retirement for Torness Furniture.

While in Milbank, Bill was a Charter member of the Milltone Barbershop Chorus along with his son, Charter member of the Milbank-Grant County Development Corporation and served the Boy Scouts in many capacities, including Scout Master.

Bill served in various ways at American Lutheran in Milbank. He was a faithful head usher for many years. Here he began singing in the choir. Unable to find any baptismal records he was baptized by his friend Pastor Harold Verhulst.

Bill was elected to the Board of the NeSoDak Bible Camping Association and a signatory to the Articles of Incorporation for Lutherans Outdoors in SD.

Bill was a faithful friend with a servant heart. He enjoyed visiting with people and sharing Black Hills information he knew. His love affair with the Black Hills began in 1969 when the family first attended Family Camp at Outlaw Ranch, followed by many years of fishing and driving the back roads with friends. A small secluded cabin was purchased twelve miles NW of Custer in 1977 and in 1995 the Myers' built a home on that site, and moved to the Black Hills. There they continued to work for Outlaw Ranch and Atlantic Mountain Ranch doing whatever was needed. Bill was called "Mr. Hospitality" at AMR!. He called himself the "Cleaning Specialist" at Outlaw.

Bill was a member of Custer Lutheran Fellowship where his service to others continued in many wood haul trips to the Pine Ridge and Wednesday night suppers. He continued to sing in the choir, a joy to him.

He is survived by his spouse, Virginia 'Ginny'; son, William (Suzanne) Myers of Duluth, MN; daughters, Laura Garness of Baltic, SD; Carla (Joe) Brown of Gretna, NE; Deborah (Peter) Vigants of Brandon, SD; two sisters, Dorothy Gray of Bel Alton, MD; Barbra Roberts of North Hollywood, CA and thirteen grandchildren.

A Service of Celebration will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 9, 2009 at Custer Lutheran Fellowship near Custer. Interment will be held 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 8, 2009 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD.

The family suggests that memorials in Bill's name be made to Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota, Hospice of the Hills and Custer Lutheran Fellowship.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Custer. Written condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.