William Gustav Deines, 70, passed away at his home in Topeka, Kansas, on September 6, 2026.
Better known as Bill, Wild Bill, Dingus, or simply Dad to his daughters, Bill was born on July 3, 1956, in Tampa, Kansas, to Paul George Deines and Dorothy (Schubert) Deines. He was the fifth of six children, joining older brothers Larry, Brad, and Steve and older sister Cindy, followed by his younger sister, Paula.
Bill’s three daughters were his pride and joy: Megan Dawn Deines of Kansas City; Lani Rose Deines Peterson and her husband, Charles “Jeff” Peterson, of Holton; and Kate Alexandra Taylor and her husband, Dustin & “Dusty” Taylor, of Manhattan. Bill was overjoyed to welcome three grandsons into his family through Lani and Jeff’s marriage in October 2025. He was also the proud grandfather of Kate and Dusty’s daughter, Vee Taylor. Born Aidan Taylor, Vee was loved fiercely and unconditionally by her grandpa, who embraced and celebrated the amazing person she is.
Bill lived a wild and fascinating life. Over the years, he worked as a bull rider, rodeo clown, pig farmer, and, for more than 40 years, a drywall professional. A lifelong tinkerer, he had his own unique way of fixing just about anything. His methods may not always have been conventional, but they were unmistakably Bill’s
He was a friend to all and would give anyone the shirt off his back. A simple man who enjoyed life’s simple pleasures, Bill was happiest surrounded by good friends with an ice-cold beer in hand.
Bill was a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan. Thanks to Megan, he was able to attend several games, though he rarely missed watching them on television. When Megan began attending the University of Kansas in 1996, Bill became a devoted Jayhawk fan as well. The two frequently attended KU basketball games together.
As a former bull rider, Bill had a deep and lasting love for rodeo and Professional Bull Riders events. He and Dusty attended many events together, and before Weber Arena on the Kansas State University campus was demolished, Bill regularly attended the K-State Rodeo.
In his younger years, Bill was an avid hunter and fisherman. After the passing of his beloved bird dog, Buck, he turned to skeet shooting. He also collected knives and firearms, many of which he purchased for Vee, beginning at her birth and continuing throughout his life.
During Lani and Kate’s childhood, weekend visits often meant cruising the back roads of Wabaunsee County and stopping to visit family friends. Along the way, Bill shared his love of nature by spotting and identifying animals and taking his daughters on adventures to low-water crossings, hidden springs, and wide- open spaces. Those drives became treasured memories of time spent with their dad.
Bill was always the life of the party and ornery through and through. Proud of his strong German roots, he was strong-willed and stubborn - qualities he proudly passed on to his daughters.
In March 2017, Bill was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. At first, he refused treatment and resigned himself to dying. His three daughters, however, refused to accept that. With their persistence and support, Bill underwent extensive treatment, including three different types of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to remove the remaining tumor. One round of Chemotherapy nearly took his life after sending him into respiratory failure.
The surgery saved Bill’s life but took away his ability to speak - no small loss for a man who loved to talk. Even without his voice, he always found a way to make himself understood through his trusty writing board and his own unmistakable style of charades.
Following surgery, Bill made monthly visits to the GI lab in Topeka, where he found another family. The nurses and staff at KU Med in Topeka were always happy to see him mosey down the hall, bringing candy, good humor, and his famously flirtatious nature with him.
A longtime resident of Topeka, Bill made many friends who became like family. He was a familiar face at Jolette’s Bar, now Gayle’s, in North Topeka. His passing leaves a hole in the hearts of the many people who knew and loved him. Bill was kind, helpful, loyal, and truly one of a kind. He lived boldly, loved fiercely, and left behind a lifetime of stories that will be told for years to come.
As Bill always said, “Always my friend, through thick and thin, peter out or peter in”