William ‘Bill’ Linse

William ‘Bill’ Linse

William ‘Bill’ Linse, 68, passed away peacefully from cancer on November 19, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon surrounded by family. Bill was born in Wabasha, MN on November 15, 1957, to Fred and Joyce Linse. He grew up in Alma, was baptized at St. John Lutheran Church and graduated from Alma High School. Bill was a ‘free spirit’ and began his adventures after graduation by working on a Mississippi River barge that took him from Minneapolis to New Orleans. Later, his love of the outdoors and open spaces took him across the country on his motorcycle. During this trip, he met many new and interesting people who immediately became his lifelong friends. Bill never met a stranger – everyone he met became his friend. Eventually he settled in Aspen, Colorado where he was a house painter of custom homes and this afforded him the opportunity to work for many local and seasonal residents as his talents were always in demand. He was also a master of the brush as an artist and often shared his paintings with family and friends. It was in Colorado that he met and married Deb Collins and had a beautiful daughter, Lea. Even though this marriage ended in divorce, they remained friends. His adventurous nature took him to many western states in his trusted Toyota truck where he often camped and hiked in remote areas. The highlight of his life was his daughter and he cherished the time they spent together – especially the hiking and camping trips. He loved taking beautiful pictures of scenery, sunrises and sunsets and anything else that caught his eye and proudly shared these photos with family and friends. Eventually he made his way to Oregon and fell in love with the scenery along the coast. It is there that he stayed, working on a ranch for a period of time and doing odd jobs for who needed help.
Bill is survived by his daughter, Lea (Jordan Hirro), siblings Jeanette (Bob) Thompson, Kathy (Gary) Raabel, Cheri (Michael) Tucker, Fred Linse Jr., and Lori (Paul) Johnson, close friend Deb Collins, many nieces and nephews and cousins as well as many friends he made during his years of travelling. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, parents and siblings Diane and Darlene.
He will be deeply missed by family and friends. In his memory, please enjoy a beautiful sunrise or sunset as he always held these beautiful times in his heart. There will be no public funeral service.