William "Bill" Backhaus formerly of Pollock, SD died February 11, 2026 at Sanford Health, Bismarck, ND.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday at the Pollock Memorial Presbyterian Church with Pastor Floyd Haan officiating.  Interment will be held in the Dale Cemetery, rural Pollock.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM with a family/prayer service at 7:00 PM on Sunday at the Sannes Feist Family Funeral Home, Linton.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church.  The funeral service will be livestreamed at the bottom of the obituary on this page.

Bill "Wild Bill" was born November 23,1955 in Mobridge, SD the son of Ronald and Evelyn (Ryckman) Backhaus.  He was raised and educated in Pollock where he graduated from high school in 1974.  He drove school bus and did custom combining following high school.  He married Vicki Slagh on September 8,1978 in Westfield, ND.  Following their marriage they lived and had a dairy farm in SW Emmons County.  Bill also worked for area farmers and at the Pollock Cheese Plant.  They sold the farm in 2009 and moved to Bismarck where Bill kept himself busy. He worked for Farm & Home, South Central Water Supply, Community Action, Sanford Valet Parking and the City of Bismarck Landfill.

Bill loved riding and breaking horses as well as to hunt and fish.  He had a zest for life and always had a quick wit.  His love of faith, family and friends was very important to him.  He burst with pride for all of his family.  Bill's infectious smile was always shared in a conversation or visit with anyone.  He was a member of the Pollock Memorial Presbyterian Church where he served as a Deacon.

He is survived by his wife, Vicki of 47 years of Lincoln; his children, Chris (Andrea) Backhaus of Linton, Greg (Kristin) Backhaus of Bismarck, Brooke (Jake) Goergen of Bismarck; his grandchildren, Austin, Ava, Blake, Brielle and Brynna; his granddog, Hutch.  Bill is also survived by his sisters, Debbie (Fred) Morgan, Cheryl (Les) Dale, Rhonda Dockter; his sisters-in-law, Joann Dyk, Betty (Bud) Kuhn and Alice Slagh and many nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his mother and father-in-law, Gerrit and Thelma Slagh; his brothers-in-law, Tim Dockter, Mylo Dyk and Vernon Slagh and a nephew, Johnny Morgan.