William Nordstrom

WILLIAM NORDSTROM

Cedar Rapids

William Donald Nordstrom, 85, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., and Telluride, Colo., formerly of Cedar Rapids, passed away Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, in Arizona after a long illness. Services will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Private interment will take place at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Bill was born Nov. 1, 1929, in Winner, S.D., and was the only child of Floyd and Margaret Munro Nordstrom. The family lived in Omaha, Neb., for several years before eventually settling in Minneapolis, Minn.

A natural businessman, Bill and two friends built a hamburger drive-in from scratch while in high school. The business was open in the summer and helped put the three young men through the University of Minnesota. After graduation, Bill served his country as an officer in the Navy Supply Corps and was promoted as a lieutenant JG, to run the ship's service for Pearl Harbor during the Korean War. He oversaw over 350 civilians as well as many enlisted men.

After the war, Bill joined his father in Cedar Rapids, where they started Nordstrom Oil Company, which had service stations under the Phillips 66 shield. As the oil business changed, Bill reinvented the company and turned the oil stations into convenience stores. He named the chain HandiMart Food Stores and it was eventually one of the largest employers in the Cedar Rapids area with more than 30 stores. He also developed several retail locations and truck stops, and he partnered with the Amana Society in the motel business.

A genuinely nice guy with many friends, Bill was also respected as a fair and honest businessman. He served on many local boards including those of the Cedar Rapids Country Club, St. Michael's Episcopal Church, City National Bank, Merchants National Bank and St. Luke's Hospital. He served on advisory boards for Phillips Petroleum and received awards from them.

He was a talented athlete and was successful in sports ranging from high school football to handball, golf, skiing and tennis. After retiring, he and his wife, the former Cheryl Harkey, moved to Paradise Valley and Telluride, where Bill continued to enjoy his friends, family and sports.

In addition to Cheryl, he leaves behind three sons, one daughter and nine grandchildren. Dave and Anne of Pagosa Springs, Colo., parents of Charles and A.J.; Doug and Betsy of Madison, Wis., parents of Elliot (Allie) and Peter; and Steve and Carol of Cedar Rapids, parents of Dan, Michael and Sam; Kristin and Joseph Hayes of Shorewood, Minn., parents of Kelly and Lauren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation or Hospice of the Valley of Phoenix, Ariz.

Online condolences may be submitted at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.