Dr. William Haigh

A memorial service for William “Bill” Haigh, 87, of Aberdeen, South Dakota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 21, at Plymouth Congregational UCC, with Pastor Blair Kirkpatrick officiating. Bill passed away on June 27, 2025, at Sanford Medical Center in Aberdeen.
Visitation will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, followed by a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home, located at 1111 South Main St., Aberdeen.
William Earl Haigh was born on November 6, 1937, to Earl and Esther (Werner) Haigh on the family stock farm near Iroquois, South Dakota. He proudly claimed to be a 1955 graduate of Yale … High School, that is. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Science from Huron College in 1959, his Master of Science in Mathematics from the University of North Dakota in 1965, and his Doctorate of Education in Mathematics Education from Indiana University in 1970.
In 1956, Bill married Karen Walter, with whom he had three children: Pam, Mark, and Lisa. On August 7, 1976, he married Patricia Dwight, who brought five children into their family. Together, they embodied true love for nearly 49 years. Bill was humble, had a quiet sense of humor, and always wore a welcoming smile. He was an amazing husband, father, and “grampa”!
Bill served in the South Dakota Army National Guard from 1955 to 1963. He taught mathematics and science at Stickney High School from 1959 to 1962 before joining Northern State University in the fall of 1963, where he taught full-time for 40 years. He continued as an adjunct faculty member for an additional 10 years, retiring as Emeritus Professor of Mathematics in 2013. Bill was dedicated to his students, showing each of them personal care and attention.
He was inducted into the NSIC Hall of Fame in 2005 and the NSU Hall of Fame in 2010. He was also a member of the Beadle Club, which recognizes meritorious service in South Dakota education. Additionally, he was a part of the Aberdeen Softball Hall of Fame and attended numerous sporting events at Northern. In 1990, he received the Dihl Haaz Sportsmanship Award, which, among all his accolades, was the only one he chose to display. It served as a testament to his values and how he treated others.
Bill served as Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) at Northern State from 1981 to 2003. He began this role when Northern was still an NAIA member, serving before the merger of the men's Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) and the women’s Northern Sun Conference (NSC). He advocated for combining the two leagues into one, leading to the formation of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). He was instrumental in establishing the practice of scheduling men's and women's basketball teams to travel together and play on the same nights. He attended conference meetings and national conventions for twenty-two years in his role as FAR. Additionally, he introduced and authored a framework for “exit interviews” for student-athletes.
He served eight terms as President of Northern State’s Faculty Senate, published several peer-reviewed articles in mathematics journals, and received numerous grants and awards in the field of mathematics.
Bill was active in the Aberdeen community, serving on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of the Aberdeen Federal Credit Union. He was a driver for “Meals on Wheels,” volunteered at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital (where he was also on the Citizens Advisory Board), and held many positions at Plymouth Congregational UCC, where he was a long-time member.
In his younger years, Bill played the trombone and sang, which he often claimed was why he never learned to dance. He enjoyed reading and music of all genres, was scuba certified, and loved biking, softball, racquetball, and squash. He was a devoted fan of the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Indiana Hoosiers, and of course, the NSU Wolves. He took great pride in renovating his home from top to bottom. Bill had a passion for mathematics and teaching, often doodling math calculations for fun! Despite being quiet and unassuming, he had a servant's heart and a sweet tooth, especially for pie and ice cream!
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Patricia, of Aberdeen; his brother, Ron (Nancy) of Vale, South Dakota; his sister, Carolyn Terrill of Hill City, South Dakota; his brother-in-law, Ken (Sue) Honaker of Simi Valley, California; his sister-in-law, Laurie (Jed) Freeman of Reno, Nevada; and his children: Pamela (Bryan) Hedman and Mark (Patty) Haigh of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Lisa (Chris) Cleland of Marion, Iowa; Kori (Donel) Lemler; Phil (Crystal) Dwight; and Janice Allen of Aberdeen; Kris Christenson of Britton, South Dakota; and Jamie (Tony) Portra of Tucson, Arizona; grandchildren: Brittany (Chris) Mehlhaf, Elizabeth (Chase) Hart, John (Ande) Hedman, and Tyler (Jenna) Haigh of Sioux Falls; Andrew (Katie) Hedman of Pewaukee, Wisconsin; Eric (Lexi) Haigh of Phoenix, Arizona; Katie (Jacob) Christensen of Marion; Emily (Zach) McDonald of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Jacob Cleland of Des Moines, Iowa; Michael Bomar of Scottsdale, Arizona; Tricia (Jeremy) Groenhoff of Canby, Minnesota; Robyn (Cole) Epley of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Jeff (Abby) Christenson of Claremont, South Dakota; Annie (Adam Alexander) Christenson of Chicago, Illinois; Shelby (Andrew) Banken of Champlin, Minnesota; Lauren Dwight of Rochester, Minnesota; Sam Allen and Sydney Allen of Aberdeen; Jacob (Ellie) Portra of East Bethel, Minnesota; and Andie (Stephen) Poanessa of Tucson; and 31 great-grandchildren.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Esther Haigh; his in-laws, Russell and Avis Honaker; his brother-in-law, Robert Terrill; and his grandson, Charlie Bomar.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the William and Patricia Haigh Scholarship Endowment, care of the NSU Foundation, or to a charity of your choice.