Bill Mather

A Livestream and Recording of Bill's funeral service will be provided on the church's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064480308170
Bill Mather – age 74, of Laurens passed away Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at the Laurens Care Center in Laurens, Iowa.
Bill was born in Estherville, IA on October 19, 1950, to Bob & Marilyn (Miller) Mather. He was born into the implement business, and his father was the second generation of Mather Implement in Laurens which sold Case farm equipment. Bill would later be the third generation taking over the business in 1980 with his father's unexpected passing.
Bill was the oldest of three – brother Mark & sister Kathleen. As a youngster, Bill would run uptown to "help at the business". In later years, his mother, Marilyn, would laugh recounting, as a young boy, Bill's insistence in correcting anyone who suggested he was playing. He never played – he was always working.
Bill graduated from Laurens High School in 1969, went for two years to Waldorf in Forest City, Iowa and on to Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa graduating in 1974 with a degree in Ag Business. He worked road construction over the summer which paid for half of his schooling.
In the fall of 1971, he met Kristy Holt at Iowa State, who came from a farm near Platte City, Missouri. They were married on Valentine's Day 1976 in Platte Woods, Missouri. They returned to Laurens and he partnered with his father in the family business – Mather Implement.
The 1980's brought many challenges & blessings. The decade began with his father passing away. This left Bill with the family business just as the farm crisis began. Their son, Dean, was born in June 1982 & in May 1985 daughter, Marie, was born. Right before Marie was born, Mather Implement had to close its doors – the farm crisis was in full force. One big chapter closed as another began.
Bill sold insurance with Farm Bureau for one year and sold investments for another year with Ameriprise. In 1987 he & John Pohlman joined with other shareholders and opened Laurens Equipment – John Deere dealership. The dealership sold to Nielsens out of Humboldt in 1997, and Bill remained there under their leadership. Bill was the Sales Manager at the John Deere Dealership for 31 years until he retired in June 2018. The dealership threw him a wonderful retirement party and many customers spoke on his solid integrity – they could trust him.
Bill was extremely active in his community and his church. He was head of the building committee in the early 1990's when a new church was built to replace the old. He was chamber president twice and served in many other capacities. When in a small town, you wear many hats, and Bill enjoyed them all.
April 2011 brought a change as Bill was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He had many good years following this, but little by little, the disease took more away from him. One thing it could never take away was his faith in God and his love for Jesus. The last few weeks of his life were very difficult, but it didn't sway his faith. He was unable to speak near the end, but he was still praying.
He spent his last 13 months in the Laurens Care Center. It wasn't a step he wanted to take, but he accepted it and received the best care we could have asked for. Though he will be greatly missed, we are so happy to know he is with the Lord now. He fought the good fight. There were many twists, turns, and bumps along the way, but he never lost hope or faith in his future.
He is survived by his wife Kristy of Laurens, children - Dean (Kelsey) of Altoona, IA, Marie (Chris) Burrows of Nevada, IA and 5 grandchildren - Katherine, Billy, Zach, Nellie, & Elizabeth, brother Mark (Becky) Mather, and sister Kathleen (Steve) Van Beek as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Bob & Marilyn, grandparents Elwood & Olive Miller & Ray & Katie Mather.
Memorials in memory of Bill are requested to your choice of the City of Laurens Pool Project, Laurens United Methodist Church or the Parkinson's Foundation.