William “Bill” Paul  Ficken 

William “Bill” Paul Ficken was born on December 23, 1956, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the second of four children born to Wayne and Dorothy (Thies) Ficken. He passed away unexpectedly near Pierre, South Dakota, on September 24, 2026, following a great day of fishing with friends.

Bill and his family moved to Rapid City following the 1972 flood, and he went on to graduate from Stevens High School in 1975. That same year, Bill took up bowling at Meadowood Lanes—a lifelong passion he carried with him ever since. He developed a strong work ethic and a natural talent for mechanics while working for his family’s businesses at South Canyon Standard and Canyon Lake Conoco, skills he put to good use competing in Baja racing during the early 1980s. Bill’s enthusiasm for motorsports extended to sprint cars and NASCAR throughout his life. In 1988, he moved to Dallas, Texas, to be closer to his brother, Scott. During his years in Dallas, Bill remained active in bowling leagues and became a devoted Dallas Cowboys fan.

On March 19, 1993, Bill married Risë Ann Collingwood in Dallas. In May of 1993, they welcomed their son and only child, Cody Taylor Ficken. The family returned to Rapid City in 1994, where Bill worked as a mechanic until 2003, when he joined his brother at D&T Professional Plumbing.

Bowling remained a cornerstone of Bill’s life. He dedicated decades of service to the sport, serving on both the local Rapid City and South Dakota State Bowling Boards. He spent countless nights on the lanes competing in the Basin League, the Meadowood Kings, and teams at Robbinsdale Lanes. In recognition of his decades of leadership, service, and dedication, Bill was inducted into the South Dakota State USBC Association Hall of Fame in 2023.

Bill retired in 2026 and spent his well-deserved free time doing what he loved most: fishing at his favorite spot near Minneconjou, where he kept a long-term campsite surrounded by close friends. Bill will always be remembered for his deep passion for the outdoors; his true happy place will forever be at Minneconjou, where the walleyes abound.

One of Bill’s greatest joys in life was his son, Cody, with whom he shared his love of hunting, fishing, and racing—including racing go-karts together when Cody was young. In recent months, Bill also enjoyed building his Pokémon card collection.

Bill is survived by his son, Cody (Audra) Ficken of Hot Springs, SD; his wife, Risë Ficken of Rapid City, SD; his brother, Doug (Kim) Ficken of Rapid City, SD; his sister, Pam (Sam) Parrish of Anchorage, AK; his nephews, Brad (Kelsie) Ficken, Steven (Cortney) Ficken, Kevin (Alyssa) Ficken, Matthew Gervais, and Jason Gervais; as well as several beloved great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Dorothy Ficken; his brother, Scott Ficken; his mother-in-law, Barbara Peerson; and his sister-in-law, Traci Ficken.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Black Hills Raptor Center.

Visitation with a viewing will be from 4pm-6pm on Friday, October 2, 2026 at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.

Celebration of Life will be held at 2pm on Saturday October 3, at the funeral home.

Reception to follow the Celebration of Life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

The Black Hills Raptor Center online at https://blackhillsraptorcenter.networkforgood.com/projects/204920-support-the-birds

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.  
https://afsp.org/