“Do the Best You Can”
Words and music by Sally Svenson
with Miss Venhuizen’s 5th Grade Class
©2025 Sally Svenson
Chorus:
Do the best you can everyday And rewards will come your way.
Mr. Bill shares this as his advice. It’s the motto of his life
He was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1945
The oldest of five children to Mr. Kelly and his wife
Catholic school through eighth grade helped to grow his mind
He graduated in sixty-three from Cody Public High
At fourteen he was caddie at the Detroit Golf Club
Earned ten bucks a day plus tips, helping golfers was his job
Promoted Assistant to the Master Caddie, he went far
By 1962 he bought a brand new Pontiac car
Out of high school like so many young men of the time
To him the draft number twelve was assigned
So he ran to the Air Force, enlisted right away
Anxious to serve his country without any delay
Mr. Bill was stationed in Cheyenne, Warren Air Force Base
It would be to him a very special place
He met a girl named Marion, in three years they were wed
Together they would go where the military led
Chorus
They left Cheyenne and transferred to Ellsworth Air Force Base
It was 1968, Minuteman Missiles were in place
He earned awards and honors in missile maintenance
Retired after twenty-seven years as Master Sergeant
His retirement was short; and he went back to school
Became the Custodian, in Hermosa, now that’s cool
He built a floor for the gym, it was such a thrill
Kept it clean and shiny with elbow grease and skill
Mr. and Mrs. Bill became parents of two fine sons
How he loved his family and spending time with them
But for forty years, his Marion, coped with MS
He became her caretaker and gave her his best
Upon his second retirement, the two of them would go
On motorcycle travels with her wheelchair in tow
From Seattle to San Diego, Boston, Cape Kennedy
They experienced America, together made memories
Chorus
Now-a-days no grass grows under Mr. Bill’s feet
He’s on the road and regularly visits his family
Loves his boys and grandkids, and many greats
He’s going here and going there, he doesn’t hesitate
He’s active in the Legion, Post 3-0-3
Takes care of that business, he’s committed to a tee
When you see him out there, he has a smile for you
He says be honest always and each day learn something new
Chorus
Mr. Bill is a phenomenal person. He helps with 8th-grade graduation and does a lot for our community.
Mr. Bill was born in 1945 in Detroit, Michigan and had four siblings. As a teenager, he worked at the Detroit Golf Club. In 1959, at the age of fourteen, he worked as a caddie for two years. Then the master caddie promoted him to assistant master caddie at only sixteen! Sometimes, he even made one hundred dollars a day in tips! In the winter, Mr. Bill worked as a valet at the golf club. He made ten dollars a car, (that was a lot of money!) By the time he was eighteen, he bought a brand new Pontiac car.
In 1963, the Vietnam War was going on. Mr. Bill received draft number twelve and decided to go and volunteer at the Air Force because he wanted to serve his country. Mr. Bill became a missile mechanic. Mr. Bill went to Ellsworth Air Force Base and from there he went to Warren Air Force Base. Then Mr. Bill was drafted to Cheyenne where he met Marion, his wife.
Marion and Mr. Bill got married in 1966 and went on a honeymoon in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, they were kicked out of a casino because Marion was only nineteen. Then they went to Marion’s Grandpa’s house, and from there Mr. Bill got drafted to Warren Air Force Base again. But, Mr. Bill got to visit Marion every weekend.
When Mr. Bill retired from the Air Force, he became a custodian right here in this school. Young kids who came and went from this school still remember and say hi to him.
In 1990, Mr. Bill retired from the school to take care of Marion. Marion had MS and was a cancer survivor two times. Mr. Bill and Marion went everywhere together. Mr. Bill had a motorcycle and the motorcycle had a trailer on it that carried Marion’s wheelchair. They visited 90 percent of the national parks in the west of the Mississippi. Sadly, Marion died six years ago from a series of strokes. But since then Mr.Bill has been helping with eighth-grade graduation, beers and ears, and much more.
So next time you see Mr. Bill, give him a hug or just say hi. We are so grateful for Mr. Bill. And remember, “Do the best you can every day, and rewards will come your way!”