William "Bill" Fluegel

William "Bill" Merle Fluegel, age 95, passed away on January 12, 2026. He was born on July 17, 1930, in Grenora, North Dakota.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. and Eunice (Hanson) Fluegel, and by his three sisters, Bernice Christensen, Loraine Burt, and Elaine Knox.
Bill received his early education in Great Falls and Belt, Montana. He attended Montana State University, where he earned a degree in Agricultural Education. From 1952 to 1954, Bill proudly served in the United States Army in Korea with the 40th Infantry.
In 1954, Bill married Alice Opalka, the love of his life and lifelong partner. He was a proud father to his sons Scott Fluegel and Bryan (Cathy) Fluegel, a devoted grandfather to Casey (John) Edwards, Jack (Selena) Fluegel, Chris Fluegel, and Alex Fluegel, and a cherished great-grandfather to Teddy, Cooper, Skylar, and Jackson.
Bill spent 30 years in dedicated employment with Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, retiring in 1990. During his career, he had the opportunity to live and work in Hong Kong, reflecting the international scope of his leadership and service. He was especially proud of achieving his personal goal of receiving as many retirement checks as he did employment checks-way to go, Bill! A respected business leader, Bill valued the opportunities he had to mentor and develop people throughout his career.
In retirement, Bill embraced life fully. He loved traveling the world and cherished spending more than 800 days cruising with his beloved "Allie." He also greatly enjoyed boating and time on the water at Flathead Lake, Montana, and Marco Island, Florida.
Bill was a friend to many and will be deeply missed. He will be remembered fondly by all who knew and loved him.
A family memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospital International (https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/ways-to-give/donate).