Obituaries
Bill Dahlin
Published
6 months agoon
William George (Bill) Dahlin took his “last snort of terra firma” on Tuesday, October 17th, 2023 at 68 years old. He passed on to the next great adventure while surrounded by his family.
Born to Edward and Florence Dahlin in Sheridan Wyoming, Bill was the second of five children. He adored animals from a young age and wanted to be a dog when he grew up. He had his first BB gun when he was 5 years old and would walk for miles with his brother Gary to set steel traps to catch skunks and muskrats.
Bill was a self-reliant, hard worker. He started working as a child delivering newspapers on horseback and continued working through high school breaking horses, pumping gas, and as a hired hand at Norris Dairy and the Wurthier ranch.
Bill was physically strong and athletic. In his teenage years, he played baseball, boxed, and was a bull and bronc rider (saddle and bareback). Legend holds that he was once the toughest street fighter around. His father suggested he should start using his head, not his hands, and he took that advice to heart.
Bill was an incredibly charismatic, winsome, charming guy. There was nobody who met him who didn’t love him (including many fellas he’d fist-fought in his younger years but won over as time went on). Black-balled from the Elks as a young man for his reputation as a fighter, he returned years later as Exalted Ruler, serving two terms.
After high school he went to work on the railroad, initially as a laborer, building and repairing railroad tracks. He moved up the ranks of the railroad with his work ethic and natural leadership, to Foreman, Roadmaster, and Maintenance Engineer before he started his own business at the age of 36.
His company, M-Bar-D Railcar Tech, a railcar service and cleaning business grew to operate in more than 13 states. With his business partner Bill Pladson, Bill and Bill (Dahlin and Pladson) invented and registered nine patents for railcar servicing and cleaning technologies.
Bill and Bill sold M-Bar-D, keeping only a small part of the operation – a landfill converted from an old coal mine in Western North Dakota. They grew this small operation into their second successful business—Gascoyne Material Handling and Recycling (GMHR).
Bill was an ultra-athlete. He competed in many marathons including two Boston Marathons, where he averaged 6 minute miles. In 2002, he helped scout and set the inaugural Big Horn Mountain Wild and Scenic Ultramarathon 100-mile course, an extreme mountain endurance event that is one of the top 10 most difficult ultras in the nation. He ran the 50 and 100-mile courses six times in total and offered his motorhome as race operations HQ.
Bill hosted his half marathon/fun run for the Sheridan running community, the Beaver Creek Slide, which started and ended at his home, looping through the Big Horn mountain foothills, complete with hot chili, t-shirts, and prizes.
Bill was a jokester. His click-clacking karaoke performances won over audiences. A night of celebration would routinely include Bill standing on his head. He would use a special wristwatch to secretly change the channel away from sporting events at bars, causing patrons and staff to create wild theories as to how the channel was changing.
Bill was a wordsmith, and his funny stories included physical comedy and now famous Bill-isms; “Chillimongs” (Children) “last snort of terra firma” (last day on earth) , “Formosa” (mimosa), “finer than a frog’s hair,” and “Oh Reeaaally?”. His sense of humor is captured in the children’s book he authored at age 44, The Pig and the Whale.
Bill deeply loved Wyoming and wanted to serve, spurring his run as a gubernatorial candidate in 2018.
He loved to fish and hunt for elk and pheasant. He prioritized getting meat for the winter and planned his yearly schedule around hunting season and fishing trips, often coming home with trophies he called “Bill Bull #4”, “Bill Bull #8”, etc.
His words of advice to us are: “Love Life, Love Wyoming.” Bill sincerely loved us and he never wasted an opportunity to say so. He would tell you “Love ya” and you knew he meant it.
So, to you dear reader, Bill Dahlin wants YOU to know, he loves you.
Bill is survived by his wife Val, his children Kaydee (Lucas), and Tanner (Erin), his step-children Morgan (Arty) and Tessa (Braydee), his grandchildren Flora, Leo, and William, and step-grandchildren Barrett, Amir, Walker, Henry, and Aurelia, his mother Florence, brothers Gary, Wes, Eric, sister Joni, the mother of his children Laurie Helvey, and many loving nieces and nephews, friends and loved ones. He is preceded in death by his father Edward Dahlin, and former wife Rachel.
A celebration of Bill Dahlin’s life will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the Elks Lodge at 2:00 PM. Bill’s favorite meal from Parkman Bar will be served. Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Jojo Fries, Coleslaw, Macaroni and Cheese, Lemonade, and Iced Tea.
If you cannot attend please join the live stream at:
https://boxcast.tv/channel/r2kzqtc4wd9cwtlb7oqf
Bring your stories of Bill’s life to share. Gifts in Bill’s honor will go to the Elks Lodge Building Fund.
Online condolences may be written at www.kanefuneral.com. Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.
Terri
October 20, 2023 at 7:24 am
I’m sorry to hear and send love to the family!
Kaydee Dahlin
October 26, 2023 at 6:47 pm
Thank you Terri!
Mike Terry
October 20, 2023 at 8:18 am
My sincere condolences to the entire Dahlin family. I worked under Bill for the BN railroad, and I do not believe I ever have seen a more composed 24 year old individual in a management position than Bill was at that time. One thing that struck me was that he treated everyone from underlings to upper management, exactly the same, and he seemed to always bring out the best of the employees working under him. It is no wonder that he was so successful in his business ventures. I know he will be missed.
Scott Zingham
October 20, 2023 at 8:37 pm
So long my friend! Good ride Cowboy! I’ll never forget you and the good times we had!
My condolences to the family.
Kaydee Dahlin
October 26, 2023 at 6:52 pm
He talked of you fondly Scott!
Kaydee Dahlin
October 26, 2023 at 6:51 pm
Mike thank you so much for sharing your memories, it means a lot to us. I totally agree with your comment about him bringing out the best in people and considering all people equal regardless of rank or station.
Ken Pendergraft
October 22, 2023 at 8:56 pm
Bill proved to be a faithful friend over the last 15 years or so. Such friends are hard to find.
Jerry Jones
October 23, 2023 at 7:00 am
So sorry to hear this. Bill was a great guy.
Kaydee Dahlin
October 26, 2023 at 6:52 pm
Thank you Jerry, we love you.
Jim Cosner
October 26, 2023 at 8:22 pm
Loved Billy like a Brother. Actually we talked and both felt that way. I do miss him so. We visited 3, 4 times a week or more. I had to call his phone to hear his voice once more and left a message, hoping the kids got it. Helped them so much & Val. Heck, he loved everyone. Cheers Billy & we’ll see you down the trail. Brother Jim.
Joni
January 7, 2024 at 1:38 pm
❤️
Amy Kinskey Brinkerhoff
October 27, 2023 at 12:51 pm
We all loved Bill from grade school on! He was part of the Highland Park crew!
He will be definitely missed by our class of 73!!!
April George
October 28, 2023 at 11:10 am
Sorry to hear about your loss to the Dahlin Family.
Sincerely yours
April George’s family (cousin of the family)
Karen Bach
October 29, 2023 at 8:08 pm
I fist met Bill and his brother Gary at a young age , hung out in downer addition!! Fond memories of the boys riding horses to deliver the paper , later in life we went to school together! Bill was a ray of sunshine, with a mix of Holly crap Bill what are you doing !!!
We went on to gather in high school, Later on I met his sister Joni!!! Love that girl. My prayers go out to her and her family
Love you too Flo ! Peace be with you all
Joni
January 7, 2024 at 1:37 pm
Love ya Karen!
Robin Smith-Trequesser
January 7, 2024 at 2:11 am
i had the pleasure of meeting Bill (his wife and son) in the Atlas mountains of Morocco when they came to visit his daughter Kaydee in 2004 (ish). We spent a family weekend taking hikes and mule rides. Great food, alot of cocktails and karaoke. I recall him to be observant and wise with his words. He discussed his aim to run for political office. His
children definitely got his charisma, singing talent, passion for Wyoming. A memorable figure for sure!
Amber Dahlin
January 8, 2024 at 9:34 am
Oh, my heart is breaking, my dear cousin is gone. I’m sending love to all the Sheridan relatives and beyond. I remember Bill as the occasional ringleader of our little gang of cousins in Downer Addition. He was the one at the top of the plum tree, bombing the rest of us with hard unripe plums. Later he was the one swinging on the chandelier at the Mint, riding broncs in the rodeo, always winning at horseshoes. Later still I worked with him on his children’s book, and I cheered for him during his gubernatorial campaign. He was an amazing person. Thank you for the detailed obituary, cuz it made me really feel his presence. Hey-yo to everyone lucky to enough hang out with Bill, whatever he was doing–we’re all better people for it. May he be swashbuckling through Heaven now.
Jamie burgess
January 8, 2024 at 9:53 am
My condolences to you and Tanner Kaydee. Bill was an exceptional person.
Love.