William Kimball Obituary

On Sunday, May 12, 2019, William C. Kimball, 71, passed away peacefully at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.

Bill was born on November 28, 1947 in Atlantic, IA to Roger and Betty (Rowe) Kimball, and was raised on the family farm outside of Brayton, IA. He graduated from Exira High School in 1966, and received his bachelor’s degree from William Penn University in 1970. Soon after, his business ventures brought him to the Des Moines area where he has worked, lived, and raised his family ever since. Bill married Marcia Brown in 1967, and they raised two children, Christopher Kimball and Jenny Meade. In 1991 Bill married Char Kimball, and they raised two children, John and Holly Kimball.

Bill was known by many for his mind for business. During his career, he helped franchise Medicap Pharmacies, Inc., and by the time he retired in 2004 he was the CEO and Chairman. In addition to his career with Medicap, Bill was the director of Principal’s Mutual Fund board for 17 years, and served as a director for Casey’s General Stores, Inc. for 14 years. Bill was a member of the board of Trustees at William Penn for 26 years, including 8 years as a chairman, and served on the University of Northern Iowa’s College of Business Administration Executive Advisory board for 5 years. He also volunteered countless hours to various organizations including serving as Board Chairman for the Iowa Society to Prevent Blindness, Chairman of the DMACC Foundation Fund Drive, Board Member for the Iowa Council for International Understanding, Chairman of America’s Walk for Diabetes, Chair of the JDRF walk, board member of Wildwood Hills Ranch, member of the Governor’s Volunteer Advisory Council and President of the Metro Kiwanis Club of Des Moines. Because of his involvement in so many businesses and organizations in Iowa, Bill was recognized by the Des Moines Business Record as one of their Sages Over 70 in 2018. Bill never hesitated to offer advice and mentorship to young entrepreneurs, and has been recognized by those he mentored for his humility and service-based leadership. His other hobbies included hunting, golfing, watching football, racecar driving, and spending time with his family at the lake.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Betty Kimball, and his son, Christopher Kimball. He is survived by his wife, Char Kimball of Johnston, IA, his other three children, Jenny Meade (Tony) of Urbandale, IA, John Kimball of Johnston, IA, and Holly Kimball of Johnston, IA, his three grandchildren, Raelynn, Kate, and Megan Meade of Urbandale, IA, and two sisters, Karen Riesberg of Griswold, IA and Linda Kimball of Anchorage, AK. A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, May 23 at Scottish Rite Consistory in Des Moines at three o’clock p.m. A memorial gathering will follow immediately until six o’clock p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Holt International Family Preservation Fund for Vietnam to support Vietnamese families in crisis https://support.holtinternational.org/site/Donation2?4156.donation=form1&df_id=4156, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to help find a cure for type-one diabetes, which Bill’s granddaughter has http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/billkimballmemorial.


ARRANGEMENTS BY ILES ~ WESTOVER CHAPEL.

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