William “Bill” E. Hartsock | The News

William “Bill” E. Hartsock, 84, passed away on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospital after a month-long illness. A celebration of his life will be held on Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona. The family will greet friends from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the funeral home on Thursday.

William Ellsworth Hartsock was born on February 13, 1940 in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of George E. and Gertrude (Bell) Hartsock. He graduated from Kalona High School and served in the United States Marines during the Vietnam War. After his service he returned to the farm and then worked as a roughneck in the California oil fields. He then moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where he worked various jobs as an ironworker until 1972 when he took a job in Juneau, Alaska. He was a partner with two other owners in Southeast Steel Erectors for about 10 years and later owned and operated Hartsock Steel Erectors for another 10 years. On December 28, 1974, he married Twyla Westfall in Juneau, Alaska, they have been married for 50 years. After Bill retired, he won the 1999 Salmon Derby in Juneau, engaged in commercial fishing, and enjoyed traveling with his wife Twyla, golfing, fishing, farming, and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his wife Twyla, his two siblings Mary (Don) Gringer and Howard Hartsock, his honorary daughter Kim (Mark) Liland, his son Robert (Stephanie) Hartsock, his son Shawn Hartsock (son of Bill and Twyla), his daughter-in-law Kris Tudor, his two stepsons Robert Lorenzen and Wallace Olds, his 10 grandchildren Chase and Brooke Liland, Garbriel Hartsock and Olivia Hartsock-Nutter, Kaylee, Ryan, Sarah and Matthew Hartsock, Dane Tudor and Curtis Lorenzen and his great-granddaughter Skyler Manley.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his brother: Jake Hartsock and his sister: Doris Hartsock.