William "Bill" Lange, beloved father, grandfather, and brother, of Newell, SD, died Wednesday, March 7, 2007, in Rochester, MN.

Visitation will be from noon until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, continuing one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 12, 2007, at the First Lutheran Church in Newell with Rev. Harlan Robbins officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche.

Bill was born on December 30, 1937, in Tyndall, SD, on his grandparents' farm to Bernice (Luke) and Ted Lange. While growing up, his family lived in the Springfield area where they farmed. In 1953, his family moved to Newell and he graduated from Newell High School in 1955. He married Bonnie Babb in 1964. Through the years, Bill owned Lange's Water Hauling, Bill's Sinclair Station, and was the School Bus Manager for the Newell School District. He enjoyed farming and raising livestock, sold WW stock trailers, sprayed for Butte County, and was a brand inspector for the SD Stockgrowers Association. Bill was chairman of the Newell Labor Day Rodeo for many years, and a committee member of the Newell Ram Sale for 26 years.

In his younger days, he spent time water skiing, roping, playing fast-pitch softball, and golfing. Later in life, he often traveled to see the granddaughters, watched a lot of baseball and rodeos, and had a good time with the coffee group in Newell. Throughout his life, he enjoyed visiting with friends over the fence, rarely passed up a two-step, and felt guilty about taking his friends' money while playing cards.

He is survived by his two sons, Jim Lange of North Platte, NE, and Bryce Lange of Denver, CO; his daughter and her husband, Linda and Jeff Kaiser of Bismarck, ND; four very special granddaughters, Elizabeth, Kiersten, Allison, and Tatum; three brothers, Lorman Lange and his wife, Donna, of Sturgis, SD, Doug Lange and JoAnn Gall of Belle Fourche, SD, and Randy Lange of Albuquerque, NM; and numerous nieces, nephews, and their families. Having him as our father was an honor and privilege.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, and four sisters.

A memorial has been established to the First Lutheran Church in Newell.