William (Bill) Charles Schwensen, 81

William (Bill) Charles Schwensen, 81, of Ord passed away at his home on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
Mr. Schwensen’s wishes were to be cremated. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 14, 2022; at the Ord First United Methodist Church. Pastor Spenser Johnson will officiate. Military Honors will be presented at the Church by the Ord VFW Post #7029 and American Legion Post #38. Memorials are suggested to the Fullerton Volunteer Fire Department or the Ord Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. Ord Memorial Chapel is handling the arrangements.
Bill was born on January 13, 1941, to William W. and Opal (Foland) Schwensen. He attended high school at Belgrade, Nebraska before graduating from Fullerton High School in 1959. After graduation, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy and served on the USS Ranger from 1959 through 1963.
Bill met Pamela Held of Central City, Nebraska and they married soon after in 1963. Bill learned the electrical trade while working with Dick’s Electric in Aurora before working on bomb wiring at the Ordinance Plant in Grand Island. From there, Bill joined the construction industry and they moved to several eastern states making many friends along the way. Their journeys eventually led them to Ord where he was a foreman for the Calamus Reservoir project in Burwell. After that project was complete, he moved to Michigan for construction work while Pamela and their daughters stayed in Ord and settled in.
In 1996, Bill and Pamela built the Automatic Carwash in Ord and enjoyed bringing the service to town; they also owned Bill’s Sports Bar downtown Ord. After retiring from both businesses Bill took up driving the school bus and enjoyed interacting with the kids.
Bill was an avid pheasant hunter all his life. He first enjoyed the sport with his dad and brother, Larry, before continuing the tradition with his sons and grandsons. In his younger years he loved ‘off-road’ motor cycling, motor cross and hill climbing. He won the 1972 Illinois Hill Climbing State Championship in the 250 class.
Bill was a member of the American Legion Post#38 of Ord. Hunting, golfing and fishing were what you’d find him doing during retirement unless he was visiting grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Pamela of Ord; son, Bob Schwensen of Charlotte, MI; three daughters and sons-in-law, Becky and Kerry Kremke of Ft. Calhoun, NE, Abranda and Gary Andersen of Blair, NE, and Bonny and Ryan Bellrose of Westminster, CO. He loved his 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are his mother, Opal Schwensen; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Tamie and Mark Hays and Glenda and Larry McIntosh; and a brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Rose Schwensen.
He was preceded in death by his father; his oldest son, Marine SGT. William James Schwensen, member of Reconnaissance, 3rd Division, when he was lost at sea; a sister, Sherrill Humrich; and a niece, Melissa Humrich.