Dr. William “Bill” Hasemeyer, 88, of North Platte passed away very unexpectedly on Aug. 26, 2017, at Great Plains Health.
He was born on Jan. 26, 1929, to August and Ila Collins Hasemeyer, in Superior. The family moved to a farm located 8 miles south of Superior, which was in Jewel County, Kansas. Bill attended the Goodwill School, a rural school, for two years. He and his family lived on the farm during the depression where they battled drought, grasshoppers and the terrible dust storms.
In 1935, his folks sold the farm, loaded up all their belongings in a 1932 Chevrolet, and headed for the west coast. Their first stop was Kimberly, Idaho, where the family stayed for two months and where Bill started school in the third grade. Bill and his folks then migrated on to Longview, Washington, where Bill continued school. His dad was able to get a job in a paper mill. During this time, they lived in a ‘cabin camp’ where everyone knew everyone else.
While living in Longview, his dad became very ill with cancer, and the family moved back to Superior. He was a World War I veteran and he was admitted to a Veteran’s Hospital in Hines, Illinois.
Bill completed the third grade in Superior and graduated from Superior High School in 1946. While in high school he participated in school plays, vocal music, band, football, basketball and track. Junior high football was not an activity at this time, but he was able to participate in basketball. The high school allowed all the eighth grade boys, who were interested in football, to come out for practice.
While in high school, Bill played football for four years and was honored by lettering three years. Also, he was elected “honorary captain” and also all-conference in his senior year. Bill also lettered three years in basketball and was chosen all conference his senior year. He also lettered in track his senior year in the high jump and as a participant on the 880 relay team. He won the conference high jump and also the relay team won the conference meet.
The day after graduation from high school, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy. He was sent to San Diego, California, for six weeks of boot camp. After completing boot camp, he returned to San Diego, where he then was shipped to Port Hueneme, California, to attend gasoline engine mechanic school. Upon completion of this schooling, he was transferred to YBI Naval Base in order to be shipped out to the island of Guam. He spent 18 months on Guam during World War II. He served with the 103rd Seabees and was assigned a variety of jobs, as well as working in the Office of Transportation, driving any vehicle that had wheels.
After completing 18 months on Guam, he was shipped back to San Francisco, California, where he received his discharge papers. Bill spent five more years in the U.S. Naval Reserves. After his discharge, he returned to Superior.
When Bill enlisted in the Navy, he promised his mother that if she would sign for him to enlist, he would go to college. No one in his family had ever gone to college, and he really didn’t know what he was interested in for a major. He had decided that he would like to play football on the college level. He played for four years at Kearney and lettered all four years. During these four years, Kearney won 22 games and lost 15. Bill played offensive center all four years. Several team members submitted his name for All Nebraska College Conference, all conference team. His name was also submitted for Little All American.
Upon graduation, in January of 1952, Bill accepted a teaching and coaching position at Sutherland Public Schools. Here he taught social studies and drivers education. He coached football, basketball, and track from 1952-58, where he received several statewide awards for his excellent teams in football. The football teams had a six-year record of 34 wins and 13 losses and were rated in the top 10 in the state, four out of six years. The 1952, team was rated fifth in the state in six-man football, and in 1954 they were rated seventh in the State Six Man Competition. In 1956, they were rated sixth in the State Eight-man Competition, and in 1957 were again rated sixth in the State Eight-man Competition.
On June 2, 1956, he was united in marriage to Beth Finecy in Sutherland. To this union three children were born, Pam, Bill and Amy.
After six years of teaching, coaching and serving as principal at Sutherland from 1951-58, Bill earned his master’s degree in education from the University of Wyoming in 1957 in order to become an administrator and became superintendent of schools at Lewellen from 1958-61 and later, Chappell, from 1961-66. During this time, he earned his doctor of education at the University of Wyoming in 1967. Upon completing his doctorate, he became the dean of instruction for the North Platte Junior College from 1967-70, and then later became the president of the Junior College from 1970-73. After the Nebraska Legislature established the Community College System, Dr. William Hasemeyer became the chancellor of Mid-Plains Community College Area and held this position for 25 years, retiring in 1994. He was one of the contributors to History Book Project of the college in 2008 and 2011. Bill helped start the North Platte Community College Foundation and served as chair.
Bill was a 53 year member of Rotary, having perfect attendance for more than 38 years. He served as district governor of Rotary in 1980-81. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and served on many committees. He served on the district level as District Lay Leader, as well as, was the Conference Lay Leader for the Nebraska Conference of the United Methodist Church for eight years. He served as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences. From 2002-09, Bill was director of stewardship for the United Methodist Church of the Nebraska Conference. He was a member of various Masonic organizations and served as president of the North Platte Shrine Club. Bill was also an admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.
Bill loved watching sports and especially liked the Kansas City Royals and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
He was preceded in death by his parents, August and Ila Hasemeyer; a step dad, Ralph Koken; a son-in-law, Terry Thompson; and his brother-in-law, Lee Finecy; and other relatives.
Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Beth of North Platte; three children, Pam Thompson, Bill and Amy Hasemeyer, all of North Platte; one granddaughter, Kaylee Thompson of North Platte; several cousins and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the First United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund or to the North Platte Community College Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at adamsswanson.com.
Services will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Douglas Delp officiating. Burial will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation will be from noon to 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.
Everett L. Zeigler, age 93 of North Platte, passed away September 5, 2017 at Great Plains Health.
Robert S. Burk, age 82 of North Platte, passed away September 4, 2017 at Linden Court.
