William "Bill" James Petrak | July 13, 1928 - February 28, 2023
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Mar 2, 2023 | 5:58 AM / 395 views
Funeral services for William J. “Bill” Petrak, 94, of Chamberlain, SD will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at St. James Catholic Church in Chamberlain with burial in the Riverview Cemetery at Chamberlain. Visitation will begin Monday at 5:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. scripture service at St. James Catholic Church in Chamberlain.
William James Petrak was born July 13, 1928, the youngest of five children to Joseph Anton and Anna Mae (Pazour) Petrak. Bill attended country school and as a child served at an Altar Boy at the Red Lake Catholic Church and the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Pukwana.
Bill did many things throughout his life. At 15 years old, he began working for a neighbor and then at 17 began trucking with his brother James, later doing custom farming, combining, hay moving, and corn shelling. Bill also did meat processing for neighbors.
In 1946, Bill attained his pilots license and he loved to fly. His plane was a J3 Piper Cub.
On July 5, 1954 Bill was united in marriage to Frances Wooledge and to this union two sons were born, Theodore Wade and Tyler William.
Bill served on the Ola Township clerk for 18 years.
Bill passed away on February 28, 2023 at the Aurora Brule Nursing Home in White Lake, SD at the age of 94 years. Gratefully sharing his life are his wife Frances of Chamberlain; two sons Ted (Pamela) of Chamberlain and Tyler (Tiffany) of Martin; four grandsons Tucker, Tagg (Amy), Tate Petrak and Haden Chases Alone; two granddaughters Baillie (Winston) Nowotny and Tarryn (Jordan Cady); and three great grandsons Tyke and Kort Petrak and Rhett Nowotny; great granddaughter Oakley Cady; and several nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death were parents Joe and Anna Petrak; sister Rose Zimmerman and Marie Blow and two brothers James and Joseph Petrak.
