Meet Your Neighbor Dr. Bill Deisher. Bill lives in rural Kirkwood with his wife Ann.
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Meet Your Neighbor Dr. Bill Deisher. Bill lives in rural Kirkwood with his wife Ann.
He was born at their family farm in rural New Lebanon, Ohio.
He has one older sister, Rosetta Dungan of Maryland and two younger sisters, Carolyn Davis of Findlay, Ohio and Lorena Wamplar of New Lebanon, Ohio.
Bill attended school all 12 years in the Johnsville-New Lebanon school system and graduated from Dixie High School. In high school he loved football and his talent was recognized by a favorite coach who encouraged him to continue playing in college. He played for North Manchester College (now a university) in Indiana all four years. He then attended Ohio State Veterinary School in Columbus, Ohio and graduated in 1965.
He met Ann at Manchester and they were married in 1960 at the Wabash Asbury United Methodist Church near Wabash, Indiana.
When Bill was still a senior in vet school, a professor told him of a veterinary practice in Kirkwood that needed an associate veterinarian.
While visiting the local feed elevator in Wabash, Ann's father saw a publication of the Church of the Brethren which told of the search for an associate veterinarian in Kirkwood.
There seemed to be a plan in the works for Bill to have a job after graduation! Everything pointed to Kirkwood.
1965 was the year Bill became partners to work with Dr. Otho Miller. He and Ann moved to the house just north of the clinic. Bill and Ann really fell in love with the small town living in Kirkwood.
A big part of their lives beyond the veterinary clinic was being involved in the United Methodist Church across the street from their home. Reverend George Terry and his wife Ann became some of the lifelong friends they met at Church.
Bill and another good friend, Jack Winebright were Boy Scout leaders at the church for five years. Bill mentioned that he was a scout leader before his boys were old enough to join scouts. Ann took over as Den Mother when their boys were old enough.
Their son Mike was born in 1966 and Steve was born later in 1968. While the boys were growing up, in the late sixties, they bought a farm south of Kirkwood. There they raised sheep and had all the outdoor stuff that boys like, hills for sledding, a pond for fishing and lots of wide open spaces.
Being a veterinarian in those days, Bill always needed volunteer help (I think they were paid!) to hold pigs when he was vaccinating, etc. Mike and Steve really enjoyed that!
Mike and his wife Gim now live west of Portland, Oregon with their three children. Melodie and Justine, 15 year old twins, are very helpful big sisters to 2 ½ year old Wesley.
Bill and Ann travel to Oregon as often as possible. One trip on the Amtrak train was especially memorable. Steve and his family who live in Trevor, Wisconsin, accompanied Bill and Ann.
Steve is married to Jodi and they have three children also. Heidi is 12, Brian is 10 and Katherine is 7. They had a wonderful time and we all agree there seems to never be enough time!
Bill and Otho Miller eventually bought the Stronghurst Veterinary Clinic in the late 1970's which increased their business considerably. The years went by quickly and the time for Bill to do something else in his career came in 1994. He retired from the veterinary profession and went to bible school in Dubuque, Iowa.
In January, June 1995 they were appointed to the Loraine United Methodist Church, half way between Prophetstown and Geneseo, where they served for ten years.
They always considered Kirkwood their home, so they began building their "retirement" home on their farm south of Kirkwood in 2005. They have lived in their two story log home since then.
You probably think, by now Bill is retired, but not so. He has served part-time at the Burnside United Methodist Church in Burnside, (Hancock County) since moving back to rural route Kirkwood. There is a Sunday Service at 8 a.m. with Sunday School afterwards.
Besides taking trips to visit the kids and grandkids, Bill and Ann have enjoyed other traveling.
In 1993 they took a trip to Paraguay to visit a Christian Veterinary Mission operated by a veterinarian from South Africa. The purpose of the mission is to help people, the poorest of the poor improve their lives by raising healthier animals for their own use and income. In 2000 they traveled to Israel with Dr. David Reed Ministries, one of Bill's professors from Emmaus Bible College. Seeing the land of the Bible was a very spiritual, awe-inspiring experience.
"With the encouragement of Jim Carner, a well known pilot from the Rozetta area, Bill took up flying in the 70's, getting his private pilot license and instrument rating which enabled them to visit their families in Ohio and Indiana more easily. The plane was also used on many Lay Witness Mission weekends, which were important to their lives at the time.
These days you might find Bill fishing the pond, gardening, hunting deer in the timber, playing with grandkids or exercising at the Y.