WILLIAM ONIFER

William G. Onifer peacefully passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at GracePointe Crossing in Cambridge, MN.  He was 88 years old.

Bill was born on January 18, 1937, near Lory Lake, to John and Marie (Roeder) Onifer. He had two sisters, Evelyn Nelson and Irene VanEssen.  Bill attended Braham High School, where he completed the 9th through 11th grades.

At the age of 17, he enlisted in the Navy, where he served for three years, primarily on the USS LeRay Wilson a destroyer escort ship.  During his time in the Navy, he traveled to various locations including China, Japan, Guam, New Zealand, the coastlines of California, Pearl Harbor and the ships home base of San Diego, California.

After his service, Bill worked in construction for a time before switching to logging.  However, he suffered a logging accident in 1960.  Following this incident, he attended Minneapolis Technical School for mechanical drafting.  He later returned to logging for a while before taking a position as a draftsman at Dahlman Manufacturing.  In 1972, he began working for ECE and eventually retired in 1999.

Bill enjoyed spending his leisure time on his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, as well as hunting and fishing with his father.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, sister Evelyn Nelson.

Bill is survived by his sons: Mark and Jeffery; sister Irene “Susie” (Ronald) VanEssen; brother-in-law Stanley Nelson; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A Memorial Service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Hamilton Funeral Homes – Rock Chapel in Braham, with Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Dorman officiating.

A memorial visitation was held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Inurnment was in the Lewis Lake Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Ogilvie. 

Military Honors were provided by the Braham VFW Post #1731. 

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