William Lee "Bill" Kary

October 18, 1950 – October 18, 2025

William Lee "Bill" Kary who was also known as WW4 (preceded by three in the family already named "William" Kary) passed away peacefully on his 75th birthday October 18, 2025, at his home in Battlefield, Missouri surrounded by family. His life came full circle on that day—a completionary moment befitting a man who lived each season with purpose, resilience, and unshakable faith in hard work and family.

Born in Murdo South Dakota and raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota to Susan Marie (Delaney) and Alfred "Al" Kary, Bill was the second-born child and the eldest son in a close-knit family of seven children. Bill was baptized at the Methodist Church (White River, SD) and confirmed at Saint John's Lutheran Church (Norris, SD). When his father passed, he remained, running the family ranch and caring for his younger siblings. Even as a boy, his integrity and strength set him apart.

Bill was proud of his early education and the simple, grounded way he was raised. He attended Reis School, a one-room schoolhouse near their home, riding his pony there each morning with his siblings. His father had fenced a small pen beside the school where the ponies could be turned out for the day until it was time to ride home. When the one-room school closed, Bill went to He-Dog school and then Todd County High School (Mission, SD), later attending the National College of Business (Rapid City, SD) and University of South Dakota (Springfield, SD).

At just ten years old, Bill completed his first hundred-head cattle drive alone, tending to the herd, caring for his horse, and ensuring the animals' safety through the night before finishing the drive the next morning. To him, such feats were ordinary; to others, they were extraordinary. The Kary family had rodeos for several years at Soldier Creek, SD. Ranch life meant mending fences, branding calves, leasing tribal land from those who respected him, and carrying forward a tradition of stewardship that defined his family for generations.

In his youth, Bill was an avid 4-H member, rodeo competitor, and cowboy through and through —participating in high school, college, and South Dakota Rodeo Association (SDRA) events across the state. His rugged charm and horsemanship eventually caught wider attention: in his twenties, Bill toured Europe as part of Marlboro Europe's "Frontier Town" campaign, riding as a Marlboro Man on horseback alongside trick riders, stagecoaches, and draft teams that recreated the spirit of the American West for audiences abroad. It was an era of adventure, camaraderie, and wide-open roads—a chapter as bold and colorful as the man himself.

On June 29, 1975, Bill married Colleen June Abourezk, beginning a partnership that would span half a century. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2025, just months before his passing. In 1977, Bill and Colleen moved from South Dakota to Missouri, drawn by the Ozarks' rolling hills and the promise of new beginnings. By 1980, they had reestablished their herd and continued ranching, eventually creating Missouri's first conservation easement, a testament to their shared dedication to preserving the land they loved.

Bill's talents extended far beyond ranching. Self-taught and deeply industrious, he pursued architectural and civil drafting, balancing a decade-long career with Public Works while continuing to build homes, fences, and dreams with his own hands. Even after surviving cancer (deemed terminal at the time) in his early thirties, he rebuilt—body, business, and hope.

Though travel wasn't his greatest passion, Bill was more than a rancher; he enjoyed life's experiences fully and took pride in journeys shared with his loved ones. He and Colleen's honeymoon through Canada, the Pacific Northwest, and the redwoods of Northern California remained a lifelong memory, followed years later by visits to New Orleans and trips to Mexico and Brazil. In his later years, though limited in mobility, Bill found peace in the rhythm of daily life—watching his cattle, enjoying visits from his children and grandchildren, and spending time with his family.

In the final 6 days of his life in hospice care, Bill lived to see record-high cattle prices across the United States, a fitting grace note for a man whose life was rooted in ranching. His passing followed closely after that of his beloved mother, Susan Marie (Delaney) Kary, who left this world just one year prior.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents (Susan and Al Kary) and his in-laws (Tom and Twila Abourezk). Bill is survived by his wife Colleen June Kary, their daughter Karissa Susan Kary, their son Wesley William Kary (WW5), and three grandchildren: Lillian, McCoy (WW6), and Raphael. Bill is also survived by six siblings (Kathy, Diana, Joe, Cindy, Cheryl, Jackie), three sister in-laws (Bonnie, Jill, Susan), a host of nieces and nephews and his aunt Cordelia (Kary) Johnson.

His humor, steadfastness, and unrelenting work ethic live on in each of them.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, November 2, 2025 (All Souls' Day), from 2:00–6:00 p.m., with a ceremony and words of remembrance at 4:00 p.m., at Ozarks Farm Stop, 401 South Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, 65806 (corner of Walnut and South).

*Cards/remembrances may be sent to the same address above.

Bill's story is one of grit and grace—of a man who built, rebuilt, and kept building; who loved the land, his family, and the simple, sacred work of a life well lived.

Celebration of Life for William Lee "Bill" Kary

Sunday, November 2, 2025 (All Souls' Day)
Visitation and Fellowship from 2:00–6:00 p.m.
*Memorial Ceremony at 4:00 p.m.
To be held at the Ozarks Farm Stop
401 South Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, 65806
(Corner of Walnut and South - parking behind)

In person fellowship and gathering will be from 2-6, at 4 p.m. there will be a Memorial Service (zoom meeting will be live from 3:30-5:30 with Memorial at 4 p.m.) *In person there will be time for open sharing of Memories & Reflections.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81777453001

Arrangements have been entrusted to Midwest Cremation and Funeral Services of Springfield, MO.