William "Bill" Thelen

William “Bill” Thelen, 83, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, formerly of Faulkton, South Dakota, passed away on March 30, 2026.

Bill was born on September 9, 1942, in Faulkton, South Dakota. He grew up there, where he was active in sports and developed a lifelong love of athletics. He attended Black Hills State University and earned his degree in education. He began his teaching career in Buffalo, South Dakota, where he taught history and coached basketball.

It was in Buffalo that he met the love of his life, Linda Flathers Thelen, and they were married in 1967. They later moved to White Salmon, Washington, where they continued teaching and started their family. Their sons, Tom and Chris, were born there. The family then spent a short time in Wisconsin before returning to Faulkton to work on the family farm, raise their family, and welcome their daughter, Heidi.

Bill had a deep passion for sports, especially Notre Dame Fighting Irish football. He loved basketball, baseball, and football, and could talk for hours about the greatest players, teams, and games of all time. He shared his love of baseball by coaching Tom and Chris while they were growing up in Faulkton.

Above all, Bill loved his family. He especially cherished his eight grandchildren—Lydia, Drew, Dylan, Will, Paul, Grace, Alli, and Peter. He enjoyed attending their baseball and basketball games, as well as their music concerts, and was always ready to share one of his many memorable stories.

Bill was a natural storyteller who loved to make people laugh. He had a genuine curiosity about others and enjoyed learning their life stories. He was thoughtful, deeply interested in others, and carried himself with quiet humility—leaving a lasting impression on all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Linda; his parents, Willard and Luella; and his brothers, Stan and Alan.

He is survived by his children, Tom Thelen; Chris (Missy) Thelen; and Heidi (Mark) Maes; his sisters, Lora Lee Thelen, Carol Hildebrand; his sister-in-law, Elaine Thelen; his brother-in-law, Robert Mittelstaedt; his eight cherished grandchildren: Lydia, Drew, Dylan, Will, Paul, Grace, Alli, and Peter; and Eddie, the Westie; along with many nieces and nephews.

Bill will be remembered for his humor, his kindness, and the deep love he had for his family.

A Celebration of Bill’s Life will be held at 1:00 PM with visitation beginning at 12Noon on Friday, May 22, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, 4565 Pleasant Street SE., Prior Lake, MN. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Hennepin Healthcare.