William “Bill” Lee O’Brien, 71, proud Veteran, life-long rancher, skilled-carpenter and a true big-hearted cowboy passed away on June 5, 2022 at the Ft. Meade VA Medical Center in Sturgis, SD surrounded by his family. Bill truly died from a broken-heart following the recent passing of his life-long dancing partner and all-around favorite person, his wife Lana. There will be Celebration of Life Service for Bill at 4 p.m., Thursday, June 16, 2022 at Ladbury Funeral Service with Pastor Tyler Doohen officiating. Military Honors will be provided by the Belfield American Legion William C. Blair Post 144. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Private Inurnment will take place at the Medora Cemetery.
Bill was born on September 7, 1950 in Dickinson, the son of Don and Rose O’Brien. Bill was one of the couple’s 13 children, and was raised on a ranch north of Belfield, a ranch he loved and would later own with his wife Lana and his brother Dennis. Upon completing the 8th grade, Bill moved to Belfield to work and rented a room from various families so that he could complete his high school education. Upon graduation from Belfield High School, Bill was drafted and shipped off for a tour in Korea with the US Army. He returned home to western ND just after turning 21 years old. Shortly after returning home from Korea, he met “the prettiest girl I ever saw”, and for the next 50 years they never wanted to be apart. They were married on August 23, 1975, in Minot and together they raised their three spunky and totally awesome children (Shilo, Tatum “Tate” and Mckenzie “Kenzie”) mostly on the T Lazy T ranch North of Belfield.
The first few years of their marriage were spent in Fryburg. At that time, Bill was a carpenter for O’Brien Builders. He used to love to drive around Belfield slowly and point out all of the houses, garages and various other things he had built to his children. However, in 1984, Bill wanted to switch gears back to the ranch he loved so the family moved out to the O’Brien family (T Lazy T) ranch where they stayed until retirement from the cattle business. In the early 2000s, he was also promoted to the title of “Papa” when he was blessed with three adorable granddaughters, a title he was so proud to tell anyone who would listen. The couple then purchased a house near St. Onge, SD because they simply loved the Black Hills. In St. Onge, they met a whole new group of neighbors and friends that became family to them.
Bill was a story-teller, and he loved to sing and play his guitar. Bill had about 1000 sayings like “don’t take any wooden nickels” or “sew buttons on your own underwear” that his children promise to use forever, even though some of them don’t always make sense. He and Lana loved to dance together, in fact, everyone in the country would comment on what great dancers they were when they two-stepped together.
Bill is survived by his three “favorite” children: son Shilo (Jenny) O’Brien, Belfield, daughter, Tatum O’Brien, Fargo, and son Mckenzie (Ariana Molstad) O’Brien, West Fargo; three granddaughters, Elizabeth O’Brien, Shayden Lindbo and Delilah O’Brien; along with brothers, Dennis (Arlinda) O’Brien, Tim (Karen) O’Brien, John (Jacki) O’Brien, Darby (Nita) O’Brien, Aaron (Dream) O’Brien, Jeff (Crystal) O’Brien, and Donovan O’Brien; sisters, Denise (Bob) Person, Barb (Ronnie) Boltz, Mony (Rod) Wolf, and Mary Rabenberg; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, neighbors and many many “kids” that called him and Lana bonus parents.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife and best friend Lana; his parents, Don and Rose O’Brien; parents in-law, Kris and Fern Goodman; his sister Sharon Hawkinson; brother-in laws, Larry Goodman, Roger Boltz, and Aaron Hawkinson; and honorary grandson Arlo Vesey, as well as other extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins and great-nieces.
Bill’s family wants to extend an extra special “THANK YOU” to the nurses, doctors and staff at the Ft. Meade VA Medical Center in Sturgis for the excellent care they provided to Bill during his stay.
