Funeral Service for William Perry McCleerey, 89 of Sisseton, SD will be held on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 2:00 PM at Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, SD with Pastor Patrick Jenkins officiating. Organist will be Michelle Greseth with special music by Heather McCleerey and Pastor Patrick Jenkins. Pallbearers will be Ron Dody, Robert Coyne, Aaron McCleerey, Matthew Gross, Don Arbach, and Mark Peterson. Honorary Pallbearers will be The Coteau Des Prairies Hospital Staff and Board Members, Tom and Jeni Cunningham, and Jay Wright. Interment will be in the Sisseton Cemetery, Sisseton, SD at a later date. Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at the Cahill Funeral Chapel from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with a 7:00 Prayer service. The Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton SD is in charge of funeral arrangements.

William Perry McCleerey was born on October 11, 1930 to Fred and Anna (Riecke) on the farm in rural Isabel, SD in a three-day blizzard. When he was five years old the family moved to Bristol, SD where they farmed for three years before moving to the Babcock farm north of Sisseton, SD. Bill attended grade school at the Sisseton township #1, he graduated from Sisseton High School in 1948. After graduating he farmed with his father and in the winter months he worked in Minneapolis, MN at Archer Daniels Grain Terminal and Purina and over the Christmas season at the St. Paul, MN Postal Department. On June 22, 1952 Bill married LaVonne Medenwald at Zion Lutheran Church in New Effington, SD. Bill served on the Sisseton Township Board, Farmers Coop Elevator for 17 years, Federal Land Bank for 6 years, Coteau des Prairies Hospital Board for 47 years, where he was President for 18 years. Bill was always concerned with health care. Bill received the Distinguished "Trustee Award" in 2007 in recognition and appreciation for his important contribution to health care in South Dakota. Bill enjoyed farming and the dairy business for which he did for 68 years.   Bill enjoyed the time spent with the grandkids and great grandkids, mostly telling them stories of growing up.

Bill is survived by his wife LaVonne of 68 years; three children, son Steve and special friend Candy Anderson of Sisseton, SD, daughters, Vicki (Bruce) Gross of Dodge Center, MN, and Deb (Tom) Wright of Brandon, SD; grandchildren, Stephanie (Glen) Fladeboe, Aaron (Heather) McCleerey, Mirissa (AJ) Smith, Jeni (Tom) Cunningham, Kimber (James) Mujwid, Matthew Gross, Elizabeth (Cesar) Juarez, Paige Wright, and Jay Wright; 12 great-grandchildren; sister, Evelyn Dody of Prior Lake, MN; brother, Earl (Delores) McCleerey of Mechanicsburg, PA; brother-in-law Dale (Joann) Medenwald of New Effington, SD; many nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Mabel Blake; brothers -in-law Donald Blake, Joe Dody, Duane Medenwald and wife Evelyn, and nephew Jeffrey and brother-in-law Darrell Medenwald and wife Delores and niece Barbara McCleerey.

Bill's final wish was to have his body donated to the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in Vermillion, SD.