William F. Bill Stubbs, Jr., age 78, of Madison; died Fri., Jan. 22, 2010 at Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls, after a 5 year battle with cancer.

William Frank Stubbs, Jr. was born Dec. 22, 1931 at Jacksonville, FL to William F. Sr. and Edna (Reynolds) Stubbs. He grew up in Jacksonville, raised by his grandmother due to his mother’s early death. He joined the U.S. Air Force at age 17 and married Emily Rector of Jacksonville in 1953 while in the military, to which three daughters were born. During his military service, he was stationed in Mississippi, Michigan, Alaska, New York, and Korea.

Bill graduated from Georgia Tech University with a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and received his M.B.A. from the University of Texas. He worked as a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy, and for Collins Radio and Philco Radio, both of Dallas, TX, in the development and installation of various radar and intelligence systems. With these duties he traveled throughout the world.

He later married Georgia Allen, and was part owner and vice president of sales for the National Motor Club in Dallas. He retired from this career in 1979 to enjoy traveling. In 1981, he moved to Madison and purchased Rosebud Mfg. Co. from good friend Arthur Thornton.

In 1984, Bill and Holly Hedman were married at Pierre First United Methodist Church. Holly’s four grown sons became an important part of Bill‘s family. He retired from ownership of Rosebud in 1991, selling his business to a group of five employees. From that time on, Bill and Holly were avid travelers and RV campers, including extended trips to many states and Canada. For nearly 20 years, Bill and Holly owned a winter home in Yuma, AZ and spent summers at Lake Madison.

Bill was a member of many RV organizations including the national and regional Holiday Ramblers‘ (including an officer in the Holiday Ramblers’ Diesel Pushers Club), the Family Motor Coach Assn., and Hart Ranch of the Black Hills. He was a member of the Madison United Methodist Church, American Legion, and Madison Elks Lodge. He was a former member of the Madison Country Club and the Rotary Club Intl. where he received the Paul Harris Award. He truly enjoyed meeting friends for a morning cup of coffee. Hobbies included reading, golf, and four wheeling in the desert southwest. Bill was an avid supporter of Holly’s quilting hobby.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother Charles; one stepson Ronald Hedman; and his father-in-law John Stone.

Survivors include his wife Holly Marie Stubbs of Madison; three daughters, Kathy (Bobby) Hoover, Pamela Pearsall, and Judy (Danny) Marks all of Jacksonville; three stepsons, Raymond Hedman of Lubbock, TX, Bryan (Pamela) Hedman of Brandon, and Larry (Sandra) Hedman of Canton; his mother-in-law, Marie Stone of Dell Rapids, three brothers-in-law, Gayne (Marvelle) Stone of Willmar, MN, Terry (Lauri) Stone of Loveland, CO, and George (Susie) Allen of McKinney, TX; 11 grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

PALLBEARERS: Jerry Eilertson, Bob Eastman, Scott Grayson, Larry Hansen, David Heim, John Aus

HONORARY PALLBEARERS: Arthur Thornton, Don Grayson, Gary Ritzman, Roger Denman, Imogene Ellis, DeLon Mork

MEMORIALS: Family requests memorials be directed to Madison United Methodist Church Building Fund.

Holly Stubbs, PO Box 178, Madison, SD 57042



Service Schedule

Visitation
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Prayer Service 7:00 PM
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Ellsworth Funeral Home

Funeral Service
11:00 AM
Friday, January 29, 2010
United Methodist Church
Madison, South Dakota

Interment
Hills of Rest Memorial Park
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
with Military Honors