William (Bill) Clauser was born March 1, 1934, in Deadwood, South Dakota, to John Henry and Celina McGuigan Clauser, and passed away on May 21, 2024.  Bill was raised in Lead, South Dakota, and graduated from Lead High School in 1952.  After high school he joined and honorably served in the United States Marine Corp.  Bill returned to Lead where he began his career as an electrician, first with Black Hills Power & Light and then Homestake Mining Company.  In the later years of his career with Homestake he worked in the security department until he retired.  William met Sylvia (Hart) Nichols and they married on September 20th, 1968.  Together they enjoyed riding motorcycles, going to a variety of car and motorcycle races, and traveling to the Oregon coast.  In their later years and through retirement they spent time going to grandkids school events and helping anyone that might need assistance with any kind of home improvement project.  They were the original Do-It- Yourself project couple.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife Sylvia, parents John Henry and Celina Clauser, and sister Maxine.  Bill is survived by stepsons Michael Nichols (Marsha) of Lead/Deadwood and their children Jesse Nichols (Heather) of Torrington, Wyoming, and Ellise Nichols of Rapid City, and Jerome Nichols (Donna) of Rapid City and their children Kathryn Triplett (Adam) of Omaha Nebraska, Julia Farruggia (Justus) of Des Moines, Iowa, Lauren Diaz (Jason) and Heidi Skophammer (Parker), and his nine great grandchildren.  To his grandchildren he was always "Grandpa Bill" who loved to take them on adventures around the Black Hills area.  He is also survived by his brother John Clauser (Gloria) of Spearfish, sisters Carol Deaton of Baton Rouge, LA, Nancy Phillips (Jim) of Deadwood, and Marilyn Clauser of Spearfish along with many nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors.  The family wishes to acknowledge the exceptional care Bill received at Burr's Tender Care in Spearfish and Avantara Mountain View nursing home in Rapid City.

For all those who knew Bill, his sense of humor will be greatly missed.  Bill loved motorcycling and cruising the Hills in his unique buckskin leathers on his prized '69 Harley Davidson Sportster.  A memorial has been established to the 2024 Sturgis Legends Ride, which donates funds to non-profit organizations like Black Hills Special Olympics and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. Following a Mass of Christian Burial service on Tuesday, May 28th at 1:00 pm at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Spearfish, Bill will be laid to rest beside Sylvia at Black Hills National Cemetery.