William "Bill" Pfeifer

William “Bill” Pfeifer of Mesquite, Nevada, passed away Dec. 2, 2020, from COVID-19.

Bill was born May 7, 1953, in Hayward, WI, the son of Oscar and Lucille (Poppe) Pfeifer.  In 1971 Bill graduated from Hayward High School.  On Dec. 4, 1976 at the First Congregational Church in Hayward, Bill married Jayne Cook.  Bill served in the federal government for 33 years with the Department of Justice, as well as the U.S. Forest Service.  Bill also served in the Air Force from 1971-1975 and subsequently the Army National Guard from 1980-2008, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.  Bill earned a number of awards, including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Montana National Guard Distinguished Service Ribbon, and a Montana National Guard Outstanding Unit Ribbon.  After his retirement from the U.S. Forest Service and ARNG he then taught contracting law courses for the Northwest Procurement Institute and Management Concepts, Inc.

Bill was also very involved in community service.  He was very active in the Montana Lions.  He and Jayne were instrumental in starting a Lions statewide vision screening program for the children of Montana.  Bill served as the District 37 Governor of Montana.  He was a progressive Melvin Jones Fellow and a lifetime member of Montana Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation.  A fellow Lion said, “Bill was the Lion’s poster man.  He could defuse any situation with a smile and a wink.  He was wise beyond his years.  Listened and thought before he talked.”

In his spare time Bill loved to golf.  So much so he was on four different golf leagues.  Bill accomplished something all golfers want, a hole in one, he did it on two different occasions.  I said luck, he said nothing but skill and finesse.

Bill was full of life, compassion, character, wisdom and, of course, he had an amazing sense of humor.  Bill was loved by many and will be greatly missed.

Bill is survived by his wife of nearly 44 years, Jayne Cook Pfeifer; sisters, Luella Wendt, Charlotte (Jim) Robotham and Machele Pfeifer; and brother, John (Joyce) Pfeifer, sister-in-law, Lenore Miller, brothers-in-law, George McGuire, and Fred (Lisa) Cook.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Oscar and Lucille (Poppe) Pfeifer; brothers, Paul, Carl and Walter; sister, Yvone McGuire; and his grandparents.

Due to COVID concerns, a Celebration of Life was delayed until May 21, 2021.  It will be held at noon, in the veteran’s section of the Greenwood Cemetery Hayward, WI.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Bill’s name to the Seeley Lions Club, PO Box 861, Hayward, WI 54853.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William "Bill" Pfeifer, please visit our floral store.