Bill Vetter

Bill Vetter, 67, of Charlotte, Iowa, passed away peacefully Monday, December 29, 2025, in his  home, surrounded by his wife and children, following a courageous two-and-a-half-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2026, at DeWitt United Methodist Church. Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2026, in the church, interment following at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, rural Calamus.

William Ellis Vetter was born July 5, 1958, in DeWitt, Iowa, to Ellis and Eleanor (Higgins) Vetter. After graduating from Lost Nation High School, he attended Clinton Community College and then received a bachelor's degree from St. Ambrose University. On February 2, 2001, he happily married Cris Schenkel in a small private ceremony in Muscatine, Iowa. They later relocated to the DeWitt area.

Bill had a long career in banking and derived great joy from serving his customers. Bill was honored to be welcomed into the lives of so many families as he helped them with all their financial needs, leading to many meaningful friendships along the way.

He also dedicated many years of service to supporting the mission of Iowa’s community colleges. For many years, Bill served on the Eastern Iowa Community College (EICC) Board of Trustees, of which his father was a founding member. He served in many capacities on several foundation boards and committees for EICC. Bill was proud to carry on his father’s legacy.

Bill played instrumental roles in community development and enjoyed watching projects grow from small ideas to reality. He was always looking for ways to connect people and organizations. A humble man, he was always happier to be in the background, but his wry humor brought that little something extra to everything he was involved in.

In his spare time, he loved tending to his small acreage with his wife. They spent many days landscaping and enjoying everything they built. When not working outside, he could be found in his woodshop tinkering and building items for friends and family. He also enjoyed many outdoor activities, hunting, fishing, and spending time in the timber with his brothers.

His children brought him great pride and joy. He loved watching them grow and celebrating their achievements. He was always honored when the kids would seek his advice not only about finances, but life in general. A special spark in his life was his grandchild, Annie. While Bill held many titles, being “Papa” was certainly one of his favorites.

For those who had the privilege to know and love him, you know he often found things “interesting, very interesting.”

Surviving are his wife, Cris; children, Jessica (Mars) Finch of Clear Lake, Jordan (Paige) Vetter of Polk City, Alexis (Cameron Bendixen) Vetter of Marion, Olivia Vetter of Iowa City; a beloved granddaughter, Annie Vetter; siblings, Tom (Margaret) Vetter, and Todd (Rena) Vetter; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a nephew, Mark Vetter.

The family wishes to express a special thank you to Dr. Sharif and her team at University of Iowa Healthcare for their exceptional care and friendship during Bill’s cancer journey.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to DeWitt United Methodist Church or the Paul B. Sharar Foundation of Clinton Community College.

Arrangements are in the care of Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt. Condolences may be expressed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com

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