William "Bill" L. Matthaei
April 30, 1947 ~ June 5, 2024
Born in:
Tacoma, Washington
Resided in:
Fargo, North Dakota
William “Bill” Leonard Matthaei passed away peacefully on June 5, 2024, in Fargo, ND.
Bill was born on April 30, 1947, in Tacoma, WA to Charles and Helen Matthaei and grew up in the Puget Sound area with his two younger brothers, Fred (Dianne) and Dick (Marcia). In 1965, he graduated from Peninsula High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Washington. Bill completed a year of graduate study in Cereal Science at North Dakota State University before serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy at a command in Iceland. He then left the military and started working in the sales and marketing department at the Roman Meal Company where he represented the 4th generation of the Matthaei family baking legacy in the U.S.
He married Joan Gustafson in 1980 and together they welcomed two children, Elizabeth (Dan) and Peter (Crystal), and five grandkids, Caroline, Madeline, Michael, William and John. As opportunities grew with Roman Meal Milling Company in Fargo, Bill fell in love with North Dakota and eventually made it his permanent residence. Today, Dakota Milling and Blending (DakotaMB) operates in Fargo and St. Louis and is a testament to Bill’s leadership in the family milling and blending business. In 2023, the Prairie Family Business Association recognized Bill and Peter, the 5th generation of the Matthaei baking legacy, with the Edward Shorma Excellence in Family Business Award for their exemplary stewardship of DakotaMB.
Bill was well respected for his steadfast integrity, devotion, and courage in all aspects of his life. His Christian faith was deepened at Prairie Heights Church. As an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, Bill invested in protecting wildlife habitat. He loved steelhead fishing on the Sol Duc River, pheasant hunting with his black labs in North Dakota, biking over Washington mountain passes in the Courage Classic, going out on Leech Lake for the 4th of July fireworks, and touring national parks with his family. When diagnosed with plasma cell leukemia in 2008, he pursued treatment with extreme tenacity and underwent two stem cell transplants. As a 16-year survivor, Bill was an inspiration to countless people, especially those fighting the same disease. Like Theodore Roosevelt, a man deeply admired by Bill, said, “It is not the critic that counts…The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” Bill will be remembered as a man that never walked away from a challenge, but instead he consistently persevered and he is tremendously missed.
Celebrations of Bill’s life will be held:
2:00 PM Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at Prairie Heights Community Church at 319 32nd Ave E, West Fargo, ND 58078;
11:00 AM Saturday, June 29, 2024 at Praise Covenant Church at 3501 S Orchard St, Tacoma, WA 98466.
Services
Celebration of Life - Tuesday: June 18, 2024 2:00 pm
Prairie Heights Community Church
319 32nd Ave E
West Fargo, ND 58078
My condolences to the Matthaei Family. May Bill rest in peace.
God Bless,
Deepest condolences to the Matthaei family. Bill was always very welcoming and he will be missed at DakotaMB.
My Condolences to the Matthaei Family. and to Bills many Friends.
Bill, we will all miss you in so many ways.
What a wonderful obituary on your father. I am deeply sorry for this loss in your life. We do not realize how much dear ones mean to us until they are gone from us. Bill was a good listener, faithful husband, father and leader – a man who asked good questions and thought things through. He loved DakotaMB and was passionate about each small step getting the company where it is today. He had a great adventurous spirit, which I am sure is where you got it from Peter. There are many different dads you could have had in life, but you got one who spent time with you, took you on many life and hunting adventures – what a blessing that has been throughout your life. A dad who cared.
He was still good with a shot gun – even the last several years when he would post at the end of the tree rows. I could tell in his eyes he was just thankful to be there and watch his son with the dogs make retrieves. What a blessing Bill was to so many. Though my heart is heavy for you, your mom and family over this loss – I am rejoicing with you, celebrating and praising God with a thankful heart for the wonderful life of Bill Matthaei and his legacy that will live on throughout his family, friends and the lives of so many.
My deepest sympathies to you Peter, Joan and all of the Matthaei family.
-paul
Paul Leverington
May God’s blessings be upon the Matthaei Family.
Bill was a man who knew himself and gave to others more than most will ever realize. Knowing him was a blessing that helped make joyous memories of our time in Forks, WA. He may be gone from our lives here; but he will never be forgotten.
Please accept our heartfelt sympathy for your loss.
Thad
My sincere sympathy to Peter, Crystal & family. May your memories and the comfort of family & friends help you through this most difficult time.
I’ve had the pleasure of working for and visiting with Bill for a number of years, and it was my honor to know him. He was a man of the highest character, a steadfast faith, and a successful businessman. He will be remembered fondly and missed dearly.
There are only a few people we meet in life that we truly share a spiritual connection and Bill was one of those people in my life. I did not know the businessman, outdoorsman or even the family member but I know the spiritual seeker, the adult learner, an intellectual who realized that Jesus truly was the Son of God. I am deeply sorry I will not be able to share in his Celebration of Life as I am traveling with my grandson but Bill would approve of that. I will miss you deeply my friend. May the Lord fill your hearts with joy as you reminisce during this time of grieving.
Bill caught ’em, I filleted ’em. What a wonderful neighbor and friend who shared his beautiful family with us – and fish from the Green River – for many years. A man to be admired for all his wonderful qualities and accomplishments. Our thoughts are with Joan, Elizabeth, Peter and their families and all who loved Bill as much as we did. He is blessedly at peace. The Metcalf family
Pete,
Your dad was a very welcome visitor on his stops at my farm. His knowledge of the prairie and ways to augment it for pheasant and deer were very well researched and I learned many things from this insightful man. His visits will be missed friend.
I remember Bill from the 1990s in our T.E.C. (now Vistage) group. He was a gentleman who
faced down the baking giants and various health issues with courage and aplomb.
BILL –REST IN PIECE MY FRIEND
Joan and Family , praying for all of you today , that it will be a special day of celebrating Bill’s life .
David and Carolyn Lundberg
Always enjoyed the visits we had at the farm with Bill. He always had ideas on how we could try and improve the food plots and habitat for the wildlife. Always trying to make things better. A good man that will be missed by many. Sorry for your loss and my deepest condolences.
Alan Kiefert and family