William Augspurger
William Augspurger
03/20/1933-01/13/2021
William (Bill) Harold Augspurger, the son of Harold and Bonita (Blasi) Augspurger was born March 20, 1933 in rural Pulaski, Iowa, where he grew up with sisters Bonnie and Virginia. He entered Heaven on January 13, 2021, from complications of Lewy Body Disease.
Bill attended local schools in the Pulaski area and graduated from Pulaski High School in 1951. He served in the Air Force, stationed in Chandler, AZ from 1952 to 1956. It was here that Bill met his first love, Jean Maynes, a young woman from Bennington, Vermont, and their adventure began. Returning to Iowa, Bill and Jean settled on the family farm and then moved to the house that Bill built in Bloomfield and created a wonderful life for themselves: they sailed, traveled, entertained, made friends, read, enjoyed University of Iowa sports, and raised their children.
After the untimely death of his first wife, Jean, Bill found love again with JoAnn Alderton who he married March 20 of 1992. Together they created a new adventure and embraced their love for genealogy, sailing, gardening, traveling, and family. They would often take off to explore graveyards and visit relatives, traveling all over the U.S., Canada and even Germany.
Along with farming Bill was employed as a field appraiser for the Davis County Assessors’ office. He had an artistic and creative soul and there was nothing he couldn’t learn to do, build, or repair. Bill didn’t just dabble, he studied and learned, and applied his skills. He built sailboats, sourcing lumber locally and drying it in his home and melted lead over the kitchen stove for the keel. He used his artisan talents to build guitars and furniture, construct a house, heat a pool using solar energy, and took up pottery, building a kiln and wheel. He could restore a wrecked car one week and be baking bread or making wine the next from his home-grown grape vines. Blessed with a green thumb, his garden was his pride and joy where he enjoyed his nurturing talents. Bill was always learning and succeeded at anything he set out to do. Bill’s interests were as varied as his skills, he enjoyed painting, sailing, traveling, had a passion for genealogy, reading, photography, cooking, dancing, and music. He was truly a renaissance man of few words and many talents.
Bill belonged to the American Legion, Masonic Lodge, Bloomfield Methodist Church, Ottumwa Civil War Roundtable, Lions, Rathbun Yacht Club (Served as Commodore), and Bloomfield City Council
A quiet and gentle man, Bill had a twinkle in his eye and a wonderful sense of humor, and he will be greatly missed by his wife, JoAnn, his children and their families, Kip (Jane) Augspurger, Morgan (Kyle), Tom (Allison), Meredith (Matt); Kim (Pat) Mescher, Bill, Danielle (Fiancé Chris); Steve (Julie) Augspurger, Claire, Katie; Dave (Monica) Augspurger, Will, Nate; step-children David Alderton, Skyler (Adam); Brian (Billy Jo) Alderton, Zach (Kayla), Briana (Lawson); and 11 great-grandchildren, his sisters Virginia Berryman and Bonnie (Darrel) Payne and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Jean, infant daughter Katherine and his brother-in-law Donnel Berryman.
The family would like to acknowledge the care, support and guidance provided by Home Instead and Hospice. Memorials can be made to the Pulaski Mennonite Church, the Bloomfield Library/ Genealogy, and the Bloomfield Methodist Church.
A private family funeral will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 17, 2021 at the Pulaski Mennonite Church with Pastor Ron Wenger officiating. The funeral will be live streamed on the Wagler Funeral Home Facebook page. Burial with military rites performed by Reed- Whisler Post #78 of the American Legion will be at the Pulaski Cemetery. A viewing without the presence of family will be from 1-1:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Church. A mask is required for all services. Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield is in charge of arrangements and online condolences may be directed to www. waglerfuneralhome. com.
