William Henry "Bill" Stratman, of Vienna, was born on April 16, 1926, on the family farm near Vienna, a son of Henry Joseph and Pauline A. (Richter) Stratman, and departed this life at 2:45 a.m., on Monday, February 6, 2017, in the Missouri Veterans Home, St. James.   Bill had attained the age of 90 years, 9 months, and 21 days.

A 1944 graduate of Vienna High School, Bill was a World War II United States Army veteran. He had served in India then "Honorably Discharged" at the rank of Staff Sergeant and was a member of the Visitation Catholic Church, Vienna, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8045, Argyle. Bill was active in his community being a former member of the Maries County Historical Society, the Vienna Lions Club, Argyle Knights of Columbus Council 2047, serving as County Chairman of the Maries County Democrat Committee, and serving on the steering committee that formed the Maries County Library. He was a business entrepreneur creating employment for the community by operating a sawmill and wood preservative plant while also pioneering the purchase of Fescue Seed in Maries County and running a cattle farm. Bill had a green thumb and enjoyed gardening and sharing his harvest with his friends.

Descended from two German Catholic families, who immigrated to Maries County in the 1870's, he was of the first generation that did not learn to speak German. Bill believed in higher education and attended the University of Missouri on the G.I. Bill. He would hitch-hike to and from Columbia when he needed to come home for semester breaks and drove a cab in Columbia to augment his college living expenses. Bill would admonish his children to "crack the books" when dropping them off at school and inspired each of them to pursue advanced academic degrees.

Being the youngest son in a family of seven children and having his mother die when he was only ten years old, Bill was raised with the guidance of his siblings, especially his sister, Margaret. Early on, Bill developed an independent and competitive spirit. He played varsity basketball in high school and excelled in Tennis, Bridge, and Ping-Pong. Growing up on the family farm, his first mode of independent transportation was riding a horse with this activity being something he enjoyed well into his 70's.

Those left to mourn the passing of Bill include his five children: Sheila Stratman of Jefferson City; Greg Stratman and wife, Laura, of Vienna; Steven Stratman of Palm Springs, California; Belinda Reese and husband, Greg, of West Hartford, Connecticut; and Sara Thimmesch and husband, Dan, of Lawrence, Kansas; the mother of his children, Kay Stratman, of Jefferson City; his ten grandchildren: Kate Stratman of Woodland Hills, California, Amanda Reichel of Freeburg, Jonathan Stratman of Springfield, Andrew Stratman and Nathan Stratman, both of Vienna, David Paradine and Zachary Reese, West Hartford, Connecticut, Erin Thimmesch, Washington, D.C., and Brian Thimmesch and Brandon Thimmesch, both of Lawrence, Kansas; his three great-grandchildren: Gavin Stratman Satterfield, Tyler Reichel, and Brayden Reichel, all of Freeburg; nephews; nieces; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Henry, on May 17, 1951; his mother, Pauline, on January 31, 1937; his siblings: Leo Stratman, Agnes Schwartze, Alphonse Stratman, Margaret Fennewald, Reverend Ambrose Stratman, and Florentine Brooks; and a special friend, Gretchen White.

Memorial contributions are suggested by the family of Mr. William H. "Bill" Stratman to the Special Learning Center, the Maries County Library, or the Visitation Inter-Parish School with envelopes available at the funeral home or in care of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri 65582.