Willard "Bill" Troester

Bill was born in McCook to Rue W. and Vera M. Troester. He was a graduate of McCook High School in 1960. He then received his Business Degree from Metropolitan College of Denver.

Written by Daniel Troester in memory of Bill Troester.

My father brought us to McCook in 1978 and he lived there until 1989. During that period he was employed at First National Bank. My father met Raynelle "Rae" Watson in 1988, and they were married in Seward, NE, September of 1989. Rae is a very special woman and my father loved her deeply. Rae was the strength that kept my father strong during the worst of times and taught him to enjoy the best of times. I cannot express how special Rae is to my father and to my family. She is the person I had always hoped for my father to spend his life with and it means everything to me that she was with him, at his side when he passed away. I know it comforted him in his time of passing.

Eventually they moved to Grand Island, NE where he worked for Bosselman's Inc. until 1999. In 1999, he began work for Swifty Serve, Inc. of Durham, NC, until joining Greeley Place of the Holiday Retirement Corporation in Greeley, CO in 2001. My father's experience with the residents of Greeley Place was truly special to him and it was evident to those of us closest to him that this was the job that we all search for in our lives. He was truly happy managing Greeley Place with Rae and the two of them made a formidable team together and many of the residents share in his loss. The work Rae and my father did brought out the best in both of them and it is evident when you watched them at work. Rae and my father have always managed to adopt an extended family. The extended family extended to all ages. All of you in the extended family were very special to my father and he talked as fondly of you, as he would of his immediate family. My father felt a deep love for all seven of his grandchildren. They lit up his day and put a smile on his face like nothing else could. My father was very special to all of us. While I have always been very independent he was always my strength. His decisions on how he raised me and the principles he instilled in me are what gave me the strength to make my life a success. It is this strength that helps me now as we miss him so very much.

Dad, I was not with you when you left but I had said it before and I say it now, I love you very much. I did not have the chance to tell you once more how much I loved you and never got to say goodbye. I hope to one day see you again so we can sit together and laugh like we have so many times before. You were her husband, our father and grandfather, our dad, my mentor, a brother, and our friend. We love you. Goodbye, we will see you again.

Bill died Friday, April 16, 2004, in Greeley, CO. He had just turned 62 years old.

He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Raynelle, of Greeley; oldest son, Daniel and wife, Jolene, of Lincoln, NE; daughter, Shana and husband, Tommy, of Fort Collins, CO; son, Christopher, of Loveland, CO; stepsons, Danny and wife, Mary, of Lincoln and Trey of Milford, NE; a sister, Lynette Broomfield of Hastings, NE; seven grandchildren, nieces, nephews, aunt, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by parents, Rue and Vera Troester.

Visitation will be Wednesday, April 28, 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Graveside service will be Thursday, April 29, 10:30 a.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery in McCook with Jerry Beckenhauer officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorials may be given in his name.

Carpenter Breland Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.