William “Bill” Droessler, age 88 of Bancroft, passed away Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at Accura Healthcare of Bancroft. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Saturday, September 7 at Divine Mercy Catholic Parish - St. John’s Catholic Church in Bancroft. Burial will take place at Greenwood Cemetery in Bancroft. Visitation will be from 9:30 until service time at the church. Lentz Funeral Home of Algona is assisting the family.
William Frederick Droessler, the son of A.A. “Butch” and Rose (Mescher) Droessler was born on April 21, 1936 in Bancroft, Iowa. He attended St. John’s School in Bancroft, graduating in 1953. Following high school, Bill attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then returned home to Bancroft and worked in their family grocery store, Droessler’s Market, until 1970. Bill went on to attend the University of Oklahoma and graduated with a Master of Library Science degree in 1971. After obtaining his Master’s degree, Bill went on to work as a Professor at the University of Arkansas in Monticello, Arkansas for almost 40 years. During Bill’s time at the University of Arkansas, he took a sabbatical to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida for one year and received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Library Science in 1987. Dr. William Droessler retired in 2001 and returned to Bancroft.
Bill was of great service to the Bancroft community. Bill took pleasure in tending gardens, painting curbs and crosswalks, delivering meals to shut-ins for the Senior Center, and picking up trash in the park and all around the community. Bill received the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award in 2011 and 2012 from the Bancroft Rotary Club. He also received the State of Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award in 2014 for his outstanding volunteer service on June 12, 2014 from Governor Reynolds. Bill was the Mayor of Bancroft in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
He was preceded in death by his parents, A.A. “Butch” and Rose (Mescher) Droessler; brothers, John (Joyce) Droessler, George Droessler, Harold Droessler, James Droessler; and sisters, Agnes (George) Merron, Helen (Melvin) Grabowska, Dorothy (Ralph) Banwart, and Mary (James) Oliver. Left to cherish his memory are a sister-in-law, Joyce (John) Droessler of Bancroft and many nieces and nephews.
