William 'Bill' Percy, 79

William “Bill” Harold Percy, born June 28, 1947, and passed away peacefully Sept. 15, 2026, surrounded by his children.

Bill was born in Buffalo, N.Y., and moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where he spent his childhood. After graduating high school in 1965, he moved to Minnesota to attend the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary. He realized priesthood was not his calling and changed his focus to psychology; earning bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. He married his first wife, Mary (Bond), during this chapter of his life, and welcomed his children, Aaron and Jenny. 

He built a career as a psychotherapist in Minneapolis. In the later years of his career, Bill passed on his knowledge as a teacher at Capella University. Bill himself remained a lifelong student, always eager to engage in meaningful conversations about the state of the world. He was an anchor of wisdom for his family, deftly answering any question his curious grandchildren might ask.

A common thread in his life was sports. He played baseball in his youth and completed five marathons and five triathlons while his children were young. His favorite event was the Minnesota “Border to Border” triathlon, which he tackled alongside his friend, George. Bill passed his love of sports to his children and cherished coaching their soccer and T-ball teams. He continued to cheer them on during high school and beyond.

In mid-life, Bill met Michele, beginning a beautiful new chapter filled with love, partnership, and shared adventures. They married and successfully blended their families, bringing together Aaron, Jenny, and Melissa. Eventually, their hearts were captured by the small-town charm of Hope, Idaho. It was there that they chose to retire. Hope became the perfect backdrop for Bill’s next great act. In retirement, he was able to devote time to his true passion, writing. He went on to publish five novels. After Michele’s passing in 2023, Bill moved back to Minnesota to be close to his family and re-connect with old friends.

Bill found happiness gathering his children and grandchildren at the Idaho cabin when they were young, and enjoyed encouraging them to follow their pursuits as they grew older. “Gaffer” took immense pride in everything they did.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Michele Brooks; and his parents, Hal and Mary Percy. He is survived by his siblings, Bob (Terry) Percy, Peg (Bob) Hubbard and Sue Haasis; his children, Aaron (Cary) Percy, Jenny (John Santelices) Percy and Melissa (Jason) Goeltz; and his seven grandchildren, Cecilia, Aspen, Charlotte, Lydia, Ella, William and Jonah.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held in late June of 2027. Detailed arrangements will be made and shared in the coming months.