William Gene Ertle

William “Bill” Gene Ertle, 77, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Sterling, Colorado. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 17 at Halouska Family Chaney Reager F.H. with Pastor Scott Morrison officiating. A luncheon will follow at First Baptist Church. William will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery at 1:00 p.m., on Friday, July 17.

Bill was born on February 2, 1949, in Sterling, CO, the son of Glen P. Ertle and Ann E. (Gerk) Ertle. After graduating from Padroni High School in 1967, he moved to Denver to attend drafting school. He married Patty Isbel in Denver, and their son Andrew G. was born in 1970. They later divorced and Bill returned to Sterling.

He worked with his father and brothers in the custom feed business and became a partner in Ertle Brothers Custom Feed Service. Later he met Shirley M. Stanley. They married in 1980 and had a son, Michael W., born in 1982. They later divorced

Bill owned and operated Block-Head Machine Shop prior to working for Colorado Department of Transportation before retiring. He married Brenda Dekruif in 2008.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Glenda Castle, son Andrew, wife Brenda, and sister in-law DeeAnn Ertle.

Bill is survived by son Michael (April Reavis), brothers Jerry, Larry, Glenn (Pam), Alan, Dennis (Lynn), Kenneth, Rick, Ron (Alexes) and Bob (Sandi); sisters Mary Glassburn, Paulette (Ron) McCoy, and Diane Young; grandchildren Rylee Ertle, Payton Shaner (Jacob), Adison Peterson (Gavin), Alexis Ertle and Joel Ertle; former spouse Shirley M. Ertle, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of friends.