William L. Shanks Sr., 66, Stratford, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 30, 2017 with family by his side at Marshfield Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 7, 2017 at Zion Lutheran Church, Stratford, where the visitation will be from 9:00 am on Saturday until service time. Rev. Sue Eidahl will officiate and burial will take place in Hillside Cemetery where military rites will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6352 of Stratford. Sauter / Rembs Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Bill was born on October 28, 1950 to Kenneth and Helen (Yaeger) Shanks and was raised in Stratford. He was a 1968 graduate of Stratford High School. He then enlisted in the United States Army serving from 1970 – 1971 during the Vietnam War and then served for many years in the National Guard. He had several careers including, farming in Wisconsin, heavy hauling in Texas and truck driving in Wisconsin. For 14 years he owned and operated WD’s Transport. Bill enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, activities with the VFW. DAV and VVA and spending time with his family, especially the last few years with his grandchildren.

Bill is survived by his wife, Diane, his sons, Bill (Karen) Shanks Jr., Ed (Cherada) Shanks, stepson, Randy Engelbretson and 6 grandchildren. He is further survived by his mother, Helen Shanks, his sisters, Joanne (Mike) Jirschelle, Mary (Bill) Newman and Kathy Shanks and a brother Robert (Penny) Shanks and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth.

Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com