William "Bill" Lager- 1932-1989

LAGER, GANTANBEIN, POTTRATZ, LOCHNER

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 1/9/2011 at 16:26:18

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa WAUKON newspaper, July 1989
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

William "Bill" Lager, age 57, died Tuesday, July 18, 1989 at Community Hospital in St.Peter, Minnesota. Funeral services were held Friday, July 21 at St.Joseph's Catholic Church in New Albin, Iowa and burial was in the church cemetery.

Bill was born May 10, 1932 in New Albin, Iowa to Frederick and Maida (Gantenbein) Lager. He graduated from New Albin High School. He attended the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He served with the U.S. Navy's Naval Cadets. On September 18, 1952 he married Angela Pottratz. They lived in West Union, Iowa for three years where he worked for a feed company. They moved to Mankato, Minnesota for a year where he worked for a clothing company and International Harvester.

In 1956 they moved to St. Peter where he owned the Flame Bar for three and one-half years. He and his brother Jerry Lager began a Chrysler/Plymouth dealership in St.Peter in 1965. Later they added a Buick dealership to the business. He became the sole owner of Lager's Inc. of St.Peter in 1977.

He was a member of St.Mary's Catholic Church in St.Peter, the American Legion, St.Peter Ambassadors and St.Peter Planning Commission. He attained the fourth degree of the Knights of Columbus. He was a director of the Nicollet County Bank, and director and treasurer of the Minneapolis zone Dodge Dealers Advertising Association. He also played a major role in the founding of the Development Corporation and the Industrial Park in St.Peter.

Bill achieved fame during the Super Bowl VIII game by wearing the Viking headdress with the horns turned down. The picture is still shown before every Super Bowl Game.

Surviving are his wife, two brothers, Jerry of St.Peter, Minnesota and Larry of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a sister, Rosemary Lochner of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.