William H. “Bill” Riske, 77, of Mercer and formerly of the Fox Lake/Beaver Dam area passed away on Sunday, August 2, 2026 at Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield with his family at his side. William was born on December 1, 1948 in Beaver Dam to Alvin and Martha (Froelich) Riske. He was a 1967 graduateContinue Reading
William H. “Bill” Riske, 77, of Mercer and formerly of the Fox Lake/Beaver Dam area passed away on Sunday, August 2, 2026 at Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield with his family at his side.
William was born on December 1, 1948 in Beaver Dam to Alvin and Martha (Froelich) Riske. He was a 1967 graduate of Beaver Dam High School and attended Madison Vocational from 1967 until 1969. Bill served his country in the U.S. Army from 1969 until 1971. He was united in marriage to Heidi Zemp on August 24, 1968 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fox Lake. Bill and Heidi adopted their son Benjamin Jess Riske in December of 1979. He was employed with John Deere in Horicon from 1973 until his retirement in 2004. In 2005, he and Heidi retired to their home in Mercer, WI.
Bill loved the outdoors especially fishing and hunting. Deer and turkey hunting were his true passions. Bill loved his family immensely and will keep them in his heart forever.
Bill is survived by his wife Heidi of Mercer; his best friend and brother-in-law Dennis (Laurie) Zemp of Markesan; nieces: Tanya (Jason) Winchell and their children: Lauren (Sean) and Ryan, Tracy (Brad) Zemlo and their daughter Lexie, and Melissa (Clint) Dornfeld and their children: Connor and Summer; his mother-in-law Eunice Zemp; brother-in-law Fred Zemp; other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son Benjamin; father-in-law Fred Zemp; two sisters-in-law; and a nephew.
A private family memorial service will be held at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Beaver Dam at a later date.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
terry frederick
left a message on August 10, 2026:
heidi ,so sorry to here of Bills passing havent seen you guys forever ,God be with you always.
Tony Westimayer
left a message on August 10, 2026:
So sorry to hear of the loss of Bill! Truely a great guy that I got to know in my early years at Deere. I always enjoyed comparing hunting story with him. After transferring to 101, any trips downtown often included looking him up, to catch up. Was pleasantly surprised while spending a week at Nick J place to find that he was next door! Learned a lot about bear baiting and hunting that day! He was definitely on the “one of the nicest guys I ever met” list. He will be missed by many!
Dennis R. Schmidt
left a message on August 8, 2026:
Heidi, Sorry to hear about Bill I always enjoyed stopping by when I was able to make it to Mercer in our younger days.
Tom Karel
left a message on August 8, 2026:
Heidi, Tony and I are so sorry to hear about the passing of Bill. May God comfort you and give you peace.
Suzanne and Jeff Conley
left a message on August 8, 2026:
Heidi,
We were saddened to learn of Bill's passing. He was a great guy. We enjoyed our friendship with you and Bill in Englewood as you were escaping cold winters in Wisconsin and us the same in New England. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jim Venetucci Jr.
left a message on August 7, 2026:
Heidi,
Please accept my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies. Bill was the greatest neighbor and friend a man could ever hope to have, and his passing leaves a profound emptiness for all of us who were fortunate enough to know him. His kindness, his steady presence, and the genuine warmth he carried into every interaction made our little corner of the world better—every single day.
I will forever appreciate the friendship we shared and the countless ways he enriched the lives around him. Bill’s memory will never fade; it will live on in the stories we tell, the laughter we remember, and the quiet moments when we feel the absence of someone truly extraordinary.
Please know that I am holding you in my thoughts during this difficult time, and that the loss we all feel is a testament to the remarkable man Bill was.
John & Sue Beilfuss
left a message on August 6, 2026:
Sorry for your loss, you have our condolences 🙏 fond memories. John & Sue Beilfuss. WINTER,WI.
Bernice Hirsch
left a message on August 5, 2026:
Dear Heidi, We're saddened to hear of Bill's death. Our hearts go out to you.
Love, Bernice and Mike
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terry frederick
left a message on August 10, 2026:
heidi ,so sorry to here of Bills passing havent seen you guys forever ,God be with you always.
Tony Westimayer
left a message on August 10, 2026:
So sorry to hear of the loss of Bill! Truely a great guy that I got to know in my early years at Deere. I always enjoyed comparing hunting story with him. After transferring to 101, any trips downtown often included looking him up, to catch up. Was pleasantly surprised while spending a week at Nick J place to find that he was next door! Learned a lot about bear baiting and hunting that day! He was definitely on the “one of the nicest guys I ever met” list. He will be missed by many!
Dennis R. Schmidt
left a message on August 8, 2026:
Heidi, Sorry to hear about Bill I always enjoyed stopping by when I was able to make it to Mercer in our younger days.
Tom Karel
left a message on August 8, 2026:
Heidi, Tony and I are so sorry to hear about the passing of Bill. May God comfort you and give you peace.
Suzanne and Jeff Conley
left a message on August 8, 2026:
Heidi,
We were saddened to learn of Bill's passing. He was a great guy. We enjoyed our friendship with you and Bill in Englewood as you were escaping cold winters in Wisconsin and us the same in New England. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jim Venetucci Jr.
left a message on August 7, 2026:
Heidi,
Please accept my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies. Bill was the greatest neighbor and friend a man could ever hope to have, and his passing leaves a profound emptiness for all of us who were fortunate enough to know him. His kindness, his steady presence, and the genuine warmth he carried into every interaction made our little corner of the world better—every single day.
I will forever appreciate the friendship we shared and the countless ways he enriched the lives around him. Bill’s memory will never fade; it will live on in the stories we tell, the laughter we remember, and the quiet moments when we feel the absence of someone truly extraordinary.
Please know that I am holding you in my thoughts during this difficult time, and that the loss we all feel is a testament to the remarkable man Bill was.
John & Sue Beilfuss
left a message on August 6, 2026:
Sorry for your loss, you have our condolences 🙏 fond memories. John & Sue Beilfuss. WINTER,WI.
Bernice Hirsch
left a message on August 5, 2026:
Dear Heidi, We're saddened to hear of Bill's death. Our hearts go out to you.
Love, Bernice and Mike
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