William Joseph Schramm

William “ Bill” Schramm, age 89, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton, South Dakota.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton, South Dakota, with Reverend Darin Schmidt officiating. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Yankton, South Dakota with military honors provided by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the Mass on Wednesday at the Church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota.

William J. Schramm, son of Arthur and M. Margaret (Schneider) Schramm, was born September 18, 1936, in Yankton, South Dakota. He attended Kizmen Country School and then finished at Yankton High School. After graduating from high school in 1956, Bill joined the United States Air Force and served for four years. He was stationed in Yokohama, Japan as an intercept radio operator. He returned to his parents’ home place near Utica, South Dakota to farm. He married Marlene Krcil on August 14, 1961, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wagner, South Dakota. Bill farmed near Utica and then moved to Yankton with his family to be a bricklayer. After living in Yankton for about 12 years, they moved back to the farm where he continued being a bricklayer and farmer. After retirement, Bill and Marlene found themselves back in Yankton to live out their golden years.

Bill loved to work on street rods. He displayed many of them in car shows around the area. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting and “going to coffee” with his friends at least three times a day. He was a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton.

Bill is survived by his wife, Marlene Schramm of Yankton; four children: Rhonda (Darrell) Schenkel of Sioux Falls; Jim (Stacy) Schramm of Yankton; Lisa (Scott) Sorenson of Sioux Falls; and Julie (Larry) Larsen of Sioux Falls; ten grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and two sisters: Sister Arthur Schramm of Yankton and Elizabeth (David) Walker of Sioux Falls.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers: Arthur Jr., Donald and Tom; and four sisters: Helen, Mary Leone, Mercedes and Barbara.

To post an online sympathy message to the family, visit www.okfhc.com.