William "Bill" Amundson

Stoughton

William M. “Bill” Amundson

Bill Amundson died December 21, 2020, three days short of his ninety-second birthday.  He was born in Stoughton, WI on Christmas eve, 1928. Bill lived his adult life in the house where he grew up. As a boy, with brothers Art Jr. and Dick and sisters Gloria and Louise, Bill spent summers on and in Lake Kegonsa. His parents, Art Sr. and Mabel, owned a dance hall and store on the south shore of Lake Kegonsa, and the family would live there in the summer. The boys ran free, barefoot and shirtless all summer. The site is now a state-owned park and boat landing known as Amundson Landing.

Bill joined the Navy as WWII was ending. He liked being a student at the University of Wisconsin, and he used his veteran benefits to spend several years there. He left with multiple degrees, including an MBA. He would spend several years working at a fishing lodge on Lake of the Woods in Canada. Bill joked he was the only dock boy with an MBA. His fish camp experiences became stories he would tell the rest of his life.

Bill settled on a career in the insurance industry, but his passion was airplanes. He was an early member of the Stoughton Aviation Club. Bill would buy and restore damaged vintage airplanes, often biplanes. His skill was recognized with an EAA Grand Champion award for a Piper Vagabond he and Dick Peterson restored in 1976. The old Amundson Auto garage on East Main in Stoughton became the workshop and clearing house for airplane parts, including parts for a replica Spirit of St. Louis that was touring the country. It was grounded in Madison, and of course Bill had the part to fix it. His camper was a fixture at the Oshkosh EAA fly-in, parked under the Norwegian flag surrounded by his extended aviation family.

Bill was a generous supporter of all things Stoughton. He is survived by his brother Richard (Dick), sister Louise Schmoll, and numerous nephews and nieces. He was loved and will be missed. He was preceded in death by his siblings Arthur, Jr. and Gloria Chadbourn. A memorial celebration at Matson Airport in Stoughton will be held when conditions allow.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

206 W. Prospect  Stoughton

(608) 873-9244

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