Thief River Falls – William Kenneth Sylvester, of Thief River Falls, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at the age of 89.
William Kenneth Sylvester born December 2, 1933 in Langdon, North Dakota. William (Bill) is the son of Bertha McFadden Sylvester and John Sylvester. The family lived in Nakoma, North Dakota for a few years before moving to Gilby, North Dakota, where his parents operated a grocery and miscellaneous store. Bill attended Gilby school until 9th grade, learned to play basketball – loved it and became a lifetime fan.
As he was growing up in Gilby, he was busy working whatever jobs he could get, from picking potatoes to hauling coal, etc., always ready to help. In 1948 his family moved to the farm in rural Thief River Falls.
Bill graduated from Lincoln High School in 1951. He went to the Twin Cities for work, and attended the University of Minnesota. Bill enlisted in the Air Force in 1953. He was headed for Navigator school when he contracted rheumatic fever, spent three months in the hospital and received a medical discharge which brought him back to Minneapolis, where he worked for the railroad for ten years.
In 1956 Bill met Lucille (Lucy) Johnson and the couple wed in December of 1957 in the Lutheran Church in Adrian. The couple made their home in Montgomery until 1960, when they moved to Bloomington. Over the next six years, Bill & Lucy had three children, Laurel, Kenneth, and Wanda. In 1966 the couple moved their family back to the farm in rural Thief River Falls, and became dairy farmers.
Bill spent 25 years on the Bray Township board, served on the Black River Lutheran Church council, and spent one year as the Saint Hilaire PTA president. After retirement in 2000, Bill and Lucy purchased a winter home in Split Rail RV Park in Mission, Texas. Bill was very active in the association by serving as the vice president of the Park Association for two years, president for two years, and on the board for one year, along with being the jack of all trades, fixing whatever needed fixing in the Park. In 2007 Bill and Lucy were elected king and queen of the Association.
Bill is preceded in death by his parents; brother Robert and sister-in-law, Helen Sylvester; brother-in-law, Mike (JoAnn) Torkelson; brother-in-law, Randy (Patricia) Synan; sister-in-law, Enid (Jack) Sylvester; sister, Judith Kieffer, and niece, Amy Aadland (daughter of Penny and Blaine Aadland).
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Lucy; three children, Laurel (Tim) McGauvran, Kenneth (Pegi
Jo Putz) Sylvester, and Wanda (Jon) Braton; nine grandchildren, Sara (Robert) Conklin, Linsey McGauvran, Kassandera McGauvran, Eric Sylvester, Jackie (Joe) Mangelsdorf, Kelsie (Zak) Robinson, Amber (Bill) Briss, Adam Garry and Alex Garry; two step-grandsons, Jon (Candy) Braton Jr, Travis Braton; 11 great grandchildren and five step great grandchildren; a sister, JoAnn Torkelson; sister, Patricia Synan; brother John (Jack) Sylvester; sister, Penny (Blaine) Aadland; and many loving nieces and nephews.
God rest his soul.
A visitation in honor of William was held from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 28, 2023 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls. Interment will be held at a later date at Black River Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural St. Hilaire.
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