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William (Bill) M. Seegmiller, 12/28/2003


William (Bill) M. Seegmiller, 74, of Howard Lake, died
Dec. 28, 2003 at the Waconia Hospital.
Bill was born July 10, 1929 in Denver, Colo., to German
parents, Christian and Ella Elizabeth (Muller) Seegmiller. Both parents
were from the Black Forest region of Germany.
Bill graduated from North High School in Denver, then served
in the Marines at the end of World War II and was honorably discharged in
1946.
A master cabinet maker is creative, yet precise; gentle,
yet firm; and tolerant. This described Bill to a “T.”
Bill and his father were partners when they started the
family business, Modern Fixture Company in Denver. They traveled throughout
the country designing, building, carving, installing pews and pulpits in
churches, and designing and building grand staircases, furniture, and cabinets.
As a husband, Bill loved to surprise his wife, Bonnie,
with distinctive gifts full of special memories.
As a father, he encouraged his two daughters, Kathryn and
Valerie, to have confidence in whatever they chose to do, whether it was
learning how to skate, swim, fish, travel, or prepare for the unexpected.
Bill was a pioneer at racing cars on Pike’s Peak Mountain
in the late 1940s and early ’50s, enjoyed downhill skiing, swimming, fishing,
and golf. He also enjoyed all types of music, particularly jazz, and he
loved to dance and play cards.
Bill and Bonnie began their life together when they married
June 6, 1959 in Denver at Trinity Methodist Church.
Bill was offered a job at Shurnuff Cabinets in St. Paul
and moved his family to Minnesota in 1963. Bill and his family lived in
St. Louis Park from 1963 to 1967. They then moved to Howard Lake in 1967,
when Bill began working at Dura Supreme, formerly located in Cokato. Bill
worked for Dura for almost 20 years, and semi-retired from Plato Woodworking
in 1993, while keeping part-time hours.
In March 1994, Bill had a stroke and had been living at
Elim Nursing Home in Watertown before his death.
He was preceded in death by his father Christian Seegmiller,
mother Ella Seegmiller Deffenbaugh, and stepfather Clarence Deffenbaugh.
A memorial service was Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004 at 10:30
a.m. at Walker United Methodist Church in Howard Lake. The Rev. Mark Winther
officiated, with music provided by Mae Wannarka and friends from St. Mary’s
and Walker United Methodist churches.
Interment with full military honors will be at the Howard
Lake Cemetery sometime in the spring.

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