William “Bill” Gessner

died unexpectedly on the

evening of January 14,

2019, at Courage Kenny

Rehab Center in Golden

Valley, Minnesota, follow-ing a stroke on November

27, 2018. Bill graduated

from Minot High School

in 1965. He was the stu-

dent manager of the 1965

state championship Magi-

cians basketball team and

active in Student Council.

He graduated with a B.A.

from the University of

North Dakota in 1969.

Bill was a much-loved

figure in three national

communities: food co-ops,

songwriters & musicians,

and amateur tennis

enthusiasts. He had an ex-

tremely active life living

in Minneapolis and had

created a network of

friends nationwide due to

these interests. He helped

found several key co-op

organizations, and worked

for more than twenty

years with CDS Consult-

ing Co-op. In 2012, he was

honored by being induct-

ed by his colleagues into

the Cooperative Hall of

Fame. They described Bill

as being “Loyal, loving,

generous, unassuming,

humorous, playful, even

quirky.” Bill recorded two

CDs with his own compo-

sitions, “Welcome to

Gessnerville, Pop. 19”,

and “Wild Life”. In the

fields of co-ops, music,

and tennis, it would be

impossible to count the

number of people who

would say, “I wouldn’t be

where I am without Bill

Gessner’s support.”

Bill was preceded in

death by his parents,

Royce and Elaine Gessner.

He is survived by his

seven cousins, Mike and

David Hoopman, Judith

Hains, Fred and Pete

Challoner, Blaine

Shepherd, Georgia Bond

and countless dear and

treasured friends. His

body will be cremated

and buried next to his

parents in the Walhalla

Cemetery in eastern North

Dakota. A celebration of

Bill’s life will be held in

Minneapolis in May.