Willis Dean “Bill” Enquist (1949-2019)
ENQUIST, OTTESON, HAWKS, WHITMER, PYLE
Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11
Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.
Willis “Bill” Dean Enquist, age 91, passed away on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at Northridge Village in Ames, Iowa. A private family service and burial will be held on Saturday. The family is inviting friends to visit from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 21 at Northridge Village and encouraged to wear ISU apparel.
Bill was born on July 16, 1928 in Paton, Iowa (which he considered the center of the universe) to Harold Engquist and Sylvia (Otteson) Engquist. He attended school in Paton and graduated from Boone High School in 1946. In 1951 he graduated from Drake University with a degree in economics. He received a teaching certificate in 1965 and a Master’s Degree in Education in 1971.
Bill married Phyllis Hawks on his birthday in 1949 in Boone, Iowa. The couple migrated to Los Angeles, California where he worked for the National Biscuit Company in sales in the Beverly Hills and Hollywood area. He returned to Iowa to work at his brother’s restaurant in Ankeny in 1954. Soon after, he bought his own restaurant in Des Moines which he ran for two years. He purchased The Broiler restaurant in Ames in 1957 and ran it until 1965.
Teaching social studies classes at Ames High School for 22 years was the profession he enjoyed the most. Many good friendships were established that have endured to the present. He retired from teaching in 1987 and then worked for Iowa State University for eight years supervising student teachers. Along with teaching, he was a co-owner and operator of Keeper’s Personal Storage.
Bill enjoyed spending time with his wife of 70 years traveling across the United States as well as Europe. They also spent their retirement years doing extensive genealogy work. Bill was a member of a bowling league in Ames for many years including the senior league. He loved living in the country, working in his garden, backyard volleyball games—and reading biographies. He will be remembered by those who knew him as a man who never had a bad day. His positive attitude and sense of humor lifted those around him. He appreciated the staff at Northridge Village and treated them to his light-hearted banter. Spending time with his family for dinners and holidays was the highlight of his life, especially in later years.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis, a sister, Jo Whitmer, Yuma, Arizona, a brother, John Engquist (Nancy), Omaha, Nebraska, children Craig Enquist, San Diego, California, daughter Jo Ellen Pyle (Doug), Ames, Iowa, grandchildren Brian Pyle, Matt Pyle (Sue), Ben Pyle (Erin), one great- grandson and three great-granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his brother Gene Enquist and his parents.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Ames Education Foundation (1921 Ames High Dr, Ames, IA 50010).
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Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
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