William "Bill" P. DeBoer, 86, Town of Sherry, passed away on Monday, December 29, 2025 at his home.

A private family ceremony will be held at Saint Luke Lutheran Church in Sherry.

A public celebration of life will be held from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at Belvedere Supper Club in Marshfield.

Surrounded by family, Bill rode peacefully into the sunset, just beyond the moon to reunite with his parents, family and friends. Born on January 14, 1939, in Chicago, IL to T. John and Eleanor (nee Wilkens) he moved to North Dakota with his family at the age of four. His family later relocated to Sherry, WI, where he attended Pershing School and Lincoln High School.

After completing school, he worked at Sherry Dairy and Becker Trucking. He married the love of his life and wife of 66 years, Marlene Lobner, on April 4, 1959, in Blenker, WI. The couple purchased his grandfather Peter DeBoer's dairy farm in 1962, which the family operated and later converted to beef after he established Earth, Inc. in 1974. He continued his business success when he founded Earth Forestry of Sherry, Inc. in 1998. The couple also owned Sherri-Land Ballroom for a number of years. He served on the Sherry Volunteer Fire Department and Town of Sherry Board.

Later in life he sold the farm and Earth, Inc. to his son Dan and Earth Forestry of Sherry, Inc. to his daughter Pam (and Jeff). He remained active raising beef animals on his hobby farm, enjoying the woods and making firewood. He could repair anything and always had a project to work on. He enjoyed restoring old tractors and equipment or working on anything that had an engine. He enjoyed Stock Car Racing, he liked to go to the local short tracks and watch his grandson race the super late model on asphalt. He was very happy to see him have a successful 2025 season with numerous race wins and the track championship at Marshfield Motor Speedway. They spent many winters at their Arizona home accompanied by his brothers and friends who also lived there. Those winters were filled with more western adventures and cowboy fun.

Growing up in North Dakota and riding his horse, Foxy, to school were some of his favorite memories. Bill found great joy in sharing stories of his North Dakota upbringing with his grandchildren. Having a great sense of humor he always had a joke or three to tell and never forgot a punch line. He instilled a love for animals and a strong work ethic in his family. He loved deeply and was a proud, devoted, loving, caring husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was constantly concerned for the well-being for everyone in his family hoping they were happy and had a good life. He had a heart full of love, touching many lives. He will be profoundly missed.

Bill is survived by his wife, Marlene, daughter, Pamela (Jeffery) Bean of Arpin, son, Daniel (Pamela) DeBoer, grandchildren, Amber (Chris) Guldan, Ashley (Steven) Hollar, Skyler (Michael Hornblower) DeBoer, Taylor DeBoer, Jordyn DeBoer, and Jerad DeBoer (Hannah Everson), and great grandchildren, Brayden and Mason Guldan, and Ross, Liam, and Gavin Hollar.

He is further survived by his sister, Joan (LaVern) Weinfurter and sister in law, Donna DeBoer.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, John and Ronald DeBoer.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Hannah Everson, Compassus Hospice, and St. Croix Hospice - especially Laura Schulta, and also the Sherry Volunteer Fire Department.