William Raasch

Funeral Services: Will be held on Friday, July 23, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle, Iowa, with burial in the Fontanelle Cemetery. Pastor Steven Broers will officiate the service. The Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield is in charge of the professional arrangements. 

Open Visitation: Will be held on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Thursday, July 22, 2021 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Memorials: Memorials may be directed to Bill Raasch memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

William Arthur Raasch was born on January 15, 1944, the son of Russel and Lucile (Miller) Raasch in Fontanelle, Iowa. He passed away on Saturday, July 17, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle, Iowa, at the age of 77.

Bill was baptized at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle on March 12, 1944. He attended Fontanelle Elementary School. He was confirmed on March 30, 1958, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. He graduated from Bridgewater-Fontanelle High School in the spring of 1962. In the fall he attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa and graduated in the spring of 1967. In the fall he taught Elementary Physical Education and coached at Sentral School System in Fenton, Iowa for two years. In the fall of 1969, he came to Greenfield to teach Junior High Science and be assistant football coach and head track coach. On May 29, 1971, he married Judi Byrne at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle. To this union two sons were born: Matt and Greg. In 1989, he became elementary principal and retired in 2000. In his retirement he worked at John Deere Credit and as a property inspector for Adair County Mutual Insurance in Greenfield.

Bill loved teaching and coaching, farming, golfing, hunting, volunteering for the Greenfield Lion’s Club and trees forever.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers-in-law, Keith Weber and Harold Mensing.

He is survived by his wife, Judi Raasch of Greenfield; two sons, Matt Raasch and wife Julie of Clive and Greg Raasch and wife Beth of Ankeny; seven grandchildren, Jake, Margaretta, Annaliese, Alivia, Isaac, Velista Novak and Judd Martin; his siblings, Donald Shannon and wife Joanne of Greenfield, Venita Smith and husband Melvin of Panora, Karen Weber of Spencer, Rex Raasch and wife Verlee of Waukee, Vicki Brown and husband Stan of Fontanelle and Evie Sewell and husband Bert of Ankeny; other relatives and friends.