William Joseph Birdsell
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
William Joseph Birdsell
January 29, 1936 – August 17, 2026
Funeral services for Bill will be held on Saturday, August 29, at Park Avenue Christian Church, located at 3219 SW 9th Street in Des Moines. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 12:00 p.m. Following the funeral service, a committal service will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens, located at 7601 Fleur Drive in Des Moines. After the committal service, everyone is invited back to the church for food and fellowship.
Bill was born January 29, 1936, to William L. and Pauline E. (Ordway) Birdsell at the Fort Des Moines Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa.
Bill grew up in Chariton, Iowa being a city boy and a farm boy, attending Elementary through High School in Chariton. After graduation in 1955, he moved to Des Moines and took his first job in drafting for Minnesota Honeywell, using his talents drawing of the new North High School to be built. His next job adventure then with Iowa Power & Light from 1956 until 1961.
On June 29, 1956 he married his sweetheart Carolyn V. (Johnston); and they were blessed with 2 daughters – Teresa and Brenda. In June 2026 they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
The family moved on to Beloit, WI where he worked as a draftsman in the diesel division of Fairbanks Morse from 1961 to 1963. This eventually brought Bill and the family back to Des Moines. Where he became employed at Pittsburgh Des Moines Steel from 1963 to 1965. He was proud to have been a part of the project drafting the scaffolding needed to insert the final keystone piece at the top of the
St. Louis Arch.
In 1965 he started working for Eagle Iron Works, hired him to be manager of construction and maintenance of the plant. He continued there until retiring in 2001.
Bill couldn’t just sit still and not work. He loved to golf, so took a job as starter ranger at Glen Oaks Golf and Country Club for 2 years. Then along came a job closer to home at Seller’s Hardware; were he repaired windows and screens or maybe even repairing some ladies lamp cord. Seller’s was bought out by Farm and City Supply which he work for a total of 5 years until 2025.
Along with all his employment he also had his own Handyman business, mostly designing and building decks for people, concrete work, tuck pointing for a business downtown Des Moines, and he along with 2 other church members (Wayne Way and Dick Sheesley) worked on the tower steeple and they all sang while they worked. He liked to keep busy and help do things for people.
Bill was a member of Park Avenue Christian Church for over 67 years. He served on several committees, sang in a quartet, solo’s, the choir, and worked with the youth.
Bill had also been a member of the Southtown Kiwanis for 20 years, serving twice as President, Chairman of youth services and spiritual aims program.
He served on the Des Moines Public Housing Authority for 4 years as Vice Chairman and secretary.
Bill was involved with his wife in Girl Scouting for 30 years+ with Jr. & Sr. high girls. The girls were a big part of our family. He took special training like life guarding, outdoor skills, canoeing, and first aid. The girls parents always felt their girls were safe on camping trips and vacation trips to all parts of the US and Canada with Bill around.
In 2001 Bill and his wife started going on Mission Jamaica trips (Vacation with a Purpose), helping at the Handicapped orphanage, West Haven Children’s Home. Bill and Carolyn continued on these yearly mission trips for 20 years in a row. Bill helped to build 10 foot heavy duty picnic tables to be used in the dining hall and outside under the gazebo. These table even survived the latest hurricane Melissa that hit the island October 2025.
Bill was proceeded in death by his father – William Lawrence Birdsell; his mother Pauline Emma (Ordway) Birdsell Bearden; Step-father Galen Bearden; Daughter Teresa Diane Birdsell; and sister Patricia Ann (Birdsell) Offenburger.
Bill is survived by his wife, Carolyn Virginia (Johnston) Birdsell; his daughter Brenda Kay Birdsell; Grandson William J. Owen and wife Cherokee; Granddaughter Andre’a C. (Owen) Cleaveland and husband JC Cleaveland; Great Granddaughters Gwenivere Amelia and Leona Belle Cleaveland.
Bill will be missed by the family and many friends.
Bill passed away peacefully with family and friends around him on Monday, August 17th, 2026 at Taylor Hospice House.