William John Kelsey

William “Bill” Kelsey was born May 13, 1946, in Rockford, Illinois, and went home to be with the Lord on August 23, 2017. He passed away peacefully with his wife by his side at the Lake of the Ozarks. Bill Kelsey left this world a servant of the Lord, loving husband and father, and a testament of Christ’s love to all those he encouraged. From stranger to family, Bill loved his fellow man and was a true servant to all
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Bill grew up in Rockford with two brothers, Roger and Ronnie, and a sister, Judy, until he hitchhiked to Florida as a teenager. From 1967-1972, he served his country proudly as a medic and surgical assistant in the United States Air Force. During a Gideon devotional for soldiers, he accepted Christ into his heart as Lord and Savior.

After the Air Force, Bill decided to become an optician. After schooling, he worked hard to receive an apprenticeship with the best optician he knew and eventually achieved his goal of owning and operating his own optical stores. During his career, he achieved his ambition of creating the first super optical shop with all services included. He enjoyed success in what he did because he approached everything in life, including business, with a servant’s spirit.

In 1994, Bill and his son, Mark, went to visit family in Illinois and made a detour in Missouri. He saw the beauty of the Ozarks, the peace of country living, and a place to raise his family in the faith of Christ. Bill didn’t know anything about ranching, but he approached it with the same spirit of adventure and enthusiasm he embraced every challenge in life with. Through trial and error, he made a place that gave him joy and contentment.

Unable to sit still for long, Bill was always coming up with new projects on the farm and had a constant stream of side businesses that gave him a chance to serve the community and share his heart with others. Before anything else, Bill was a devoted servant of the Lord and he would put any task aside to talk about God’s love, having the righteousness of Christ in us, or that we must claim the promises of God every day.

Bill led devotionals every morning with his family and spent hours, morning and night, in the Bible reading the words most precious to his heart and eagerly sharing what truths God had revealed to him. Bill demonstrated the love of Christ to his family and all who had the privilege to know him.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Geraldine, and his brother Roger.

He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Chong, two sons, David and Mark, his grandson, Dan, his brother, Ronnie, and his sister, Judy.

Although Bill will be sorely missed by his family and friends, we know that he is in the arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ, and we can take comfort in the wonderful memories he left us with. Bill Kelsey was a true disciple of Christ, overflowing with compassion, and with a heart after God’s own.

Proverbs 3:5-7
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the LORD and depart from evil.”