William Kaiser Obituary

William Kaiser
Born: March 29, 1929 in Peru, IL
Died: June 3, 2025 in Tucson, AZ
Tucson, AZ - William R. Kaiser, 96, formerly of Princeton, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona. He was born March 23, 1929, in Peru, Illinois to parents William Clemons Kaiser and Clara Marie Wolfe. He was the youngest of five children.
Kaiser graduated in 1946 from LaSalle-Peru Township High School, LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College (IVCC) - where he was the first athlete to earn six varsity letters, and the University of New Mexico with a degree in Elementary Education. Bill lettered in both football and baseball at UNM. He was co-captain of the 1952 UNM football team which was named the NCAA Division I Defensive National Champions and played in the Gold Dust Bowl. Bill was inducted into the athletic Hall of Fame at both IVCC and UNM.
Kaiser served in the US and Japan as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps prior to his hiring as a Language Arts teacher and coach at Logan Jr. High School in Princeton. He taught at Logan for 34 years and coached basketball for 28 years. He coached twelve conference championship teams, 8 conference tournament winning teams, had 3 undefeated seasons and a career 74% winning percentage. Coach Kaiser was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1987. Evenings spent discussing basketball strategy at the kitchen table with his fellow coach and best friend, Mike Kesseler, were some of his happiest moments.
Bill was married to his beloved wife Rita J Anderson Kaiser of LaSalle for nearly 50 years. They had three children together. Bill & Rita were co-owners of Ky-Wa Acres. Most will remember it as a kid's summer camp and horseback riding venue. Bill and Rita loved to fish, vacation, and play cards with their decade's long friends, Mike & Nancy Kesseler and Rex & Fran Hunter. They traveled to forty-nine U.S. states in retirement until Rita's passing in 2005. Bill found love again and married another Rita, Rita Close, in 2010. Rita was raised in LaSalle and living in Tucson, AZ. Bill moved to Tucson where Rita was his partner and caregiver for 18 years.
Mr. Kaiser will be cremated and laid to rest beside his wife at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in LaSalle.
Surviving are wife Rita Close of Tucson, AZ; daughter Susan Hobbs of Huntley, IL and two sons, William "Bill" Kaiser of Princeton, IL and Roger Kaiser of Dallas, TX.
Preceded in death by his parents William Clemons Kaiser and Clara Marie (Wolfe) Kaiser, wife Rita J (Anderson) Kaiser, Rita's parents Walter (Swede) & Margaret Anderson, brother Bud Kaiser and three sisters Della Cain, Blanche Hocking and Violet Deacon.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments on Friday September 05, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Burial service will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Logan Junior High School or Friends of Strays in Princeton, IL.
Online condolences may be directed to www.norbergfh.com
Arrangements by Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments.