William Oliver Tysver (Bill) passed away July 9, 2024 in Bemidji, Minn. after a lengthy battle with brain cancer. Bill was born September 20, 1947 in Fergus Falls, to Andrew Tysver and Amanda (Vogt) Tysver. He was the middle child of five. Growing up, the family moved often, following their dad as he worked in various towns and states. Bill and his family lived near Grand Rapids, Minnesota and Cheyenne, Wyo. Bill graduated from Cheyenne High School. Of all of the family moves, his favorite area was the Vining/Henning area where the family farmed. Bill returned often for festivals and events as he grew older, bringing his own family back to experience the area. In 1965, the family moved to Colorado where he worked for the Air Force with a variety of jobs on base before joining the Army in 1966. He was stationed in Minnesota on a missile base and remained there until 1968 when he was transferred to Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1969. After the Army, he joined the Colorado Springs police force for several years. While in Colorado, he met his wife, Marcia as well as her 4 children (Kelly, KC, David, and Brenda) who became an important part of his life. Bill and Marcia had 2 children together, Stacey and Will, and moved to Laporte, Minnesota in 1976. Bill became the Laporte School bus driver and later mechanic and transportation director. He remained with the school for over 40 years, retiring in October of 2017. Marcia passed in 2016 and Bill later met his current companion, Jean Bartell. He loved to travel and sightsee and had quite a few memorable trips with Jean, and his sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Ed Baker, in the RV. Karen and Ed were not only his family, but his closest friends. 

Bill was a people person and could (and would) strike up a long conversation with anyone that he had a chance to meet, remembering facts about them for years to come, and usually parting as friends instead of strangers. He had an amazing sense of humor and loved jokes and teasing, especially teasing family members. He was a collector of things, especially loving tractors and cars. Most of all, he loved his family and was always talking about his kids and grandkids to anyone that would listen. He would babysit them, pick them up from school, and attend as many graduations, concerts, and events of theirs as he could until his health no longer allowed. He was a kind, generous, and optimistic man that genuinely cared about others. 

Bill was proceeded in death by his wife, Marcia, his parents and his grandparents, brother, Wayne Tysver, sister, Karla Hadrava, brother-in-law, Ed Baker, nephew, Dennis Tysver, niece, Jody Hadrava, as well as many Aunts and Uncles. Bill is survived by his daughter, Stacey (Aaron) Nelson and his son, Will (Lace) Tysver as well as his bonus children Kelly (Frank Vasquez) Cordova, KC Clark, David Clark, and Brenda Pratz. He was especially proud of his grandchildren, that all survive him – Camryn, Lauren, Kendal, and Brynley Tysver and River, Ronan, and Beckett Nelson. He is also survived by his companion, Jean Bartell, as well as his sisters Karen Baker and Debbie Hadrava, his brother-in-law James Hadrava, sister-in-law Anne Tysver. He will be forever missed. 

A celebration of life is planned for September 21, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the Diamond Point Park in Bemidji, Minn.