Bill Buls

Bill Buls, Philip, S.D., died Sunday, July 16, 2017, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip at the age of 71.

 

Accomplished rancher and farmer, William “Bill” Buls was born March 16, 1946, to Carroll “Cork” Kranz and Clarice Wemmering in Sioux City, Iowa. He was adopted by Clarence and Edna Buls and brought to their Grindstone area farm in Haakon County, where he was raised with his older sister, Bonnie. 

 

He grew up loving the outdoors, hunting with his Uncle Ben and learning to farm and raise cattle with his dad, Clarence. As a child, he raced pigeons, enjoyed Boy Scouts, milked cows, rode a horse to school and built his first motorized vehicle, a buggy, after his father challenged him, “If you can build it from scratch with scrap, you can drive it.” From then on, he drove.

Bill graduated from Philip High School in 1964 and married his high school sweetheart, Beth Nelson, in 1965. Together they had four children, Becky Richmond (Ryan), Bobby Buls (Dick Corzine), Ben Buls (Sabrina), and Brad Buls (Liz). In the early years of their marriage, they moved to Seattle, Wash., where he worked for Boeing as a production control expediter on their 707 production line and later for Aero-Go, Inc., an international experimental manufacturing company. In 1971, the family returned to South Dakota where he lived and farmed until his death. 

 

In 1988, he married Shirley (Johnson) Sether. Their individual strengths complimented each other in a transformative way, each changing to become better as a team than they were as individuals. Their loving relationship was evident to all that knew them.

 

As an adult, Bill lived a full and complete life with wide ranging interests – pool and snooker competitions, dune buggy races, tractor pulls, snowmobile coyote hunting, Shrine, dancing, overseas travel, card playing, raising cocker spaniels, boating with friends, bowling league and baking – to name a few. His one never ending passion was farming.

 

In 1997, he reunited with his birth parents. Clarice and Cork had married and had six additional children. Bill establish close, loving ties with his birth parents, his three sisters, Carolyn (Michael) Brown, Colette (Ron) Flynn and Celeste (Tom) Beckman and three brothers, Chuck (Peggy) Kranz, Clint (Lyn) Kranz and Curtice (Darlene) Kranz and his many nieces and nephews. 

A farmer, rancher, inventor, engineer, mechanic, he was ever the optimist and a true entrepreneur. He believed in hustle and hard work and tried his best to be fair in all his business dealings.

 

A son, husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, his gregarious personality filled the room. He is survived by his four children that love and respect him, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, seven brothers and sisters, and his mother. 

 

He was buried in the Masonic Cemetery, Philip, next to Shirley, his loving wife of 28 years. He will be remembered by his many friends and neighbors as “one of a kind.”

Funeral services were held  Saturday, July 22, at the American Legion Hall in Philip with Pastor Kathy Chesney as officiant. Masonic rites by Doug Thorson concluded the service at the legion hall.

 

Music was provided by Marilyn Millage, pianist, and Gary Redden, soloist. Ushers were Mark Buchholz and Terry Buchert. Eulogy reader was Carolyn Brown. Pallbearers were Ben Buls, Brad Buls, Ryan Richmond, Dick Corzine, Todd Irvine and Tom Irvine.

 

Graveside services were held at the Masonic Cemetery in Philip.

 

Rush Funeral Home of Philip was in charge of arrangements. Guestbook is available at www. rushfuneralhome.com