William "Bill" J. Maas

William John Maas, age 84, of Appleton, WI, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 27, 2026, after a lingering illness. He was surrounded by his loving family. Bill was born in Kimberly, WI, to William Sr. and Emma (Bergman) Maas. He was a proud graduate of Kimberly High School, Class of 1961, where he excelled in football and band, playing many instruments including 3 types of saxophones, his favorite was the baritone.

Bill had a long and fulfilling career as a Senior Account Executive at AT&T, retiring at 55.  He was an avid outdoorsman who cherished hunting, fishing, and spending time outdoors—particularly the memories made with his son "up north." A man of many talents, Bill was a skilled craftsman who took pride in helping his daughter with various building projects including building her cottage and his most recent, adding a deck to her home. He was a dedicated fan of the Brewers, Packers, and Badgers, and will be fondly remembered for his wit, his remarkable gift for storytelling, and his spirited political discussions. Above all, Bill treasured his time with his family; he found great joy in attending his grandchildren’s events, sharing family traditions, and recently spending time with his great grandchildren.  He also enjoyed trips to the casino with his loved ones.

On June 17, 1961, he married the love of his life, Judi Lambie. They had two children: daughter, Jill (Robert) Mielke and their children, Ashley and Haley; and son, Cary (Sheila) and their children, Brandon and Taylor.

Bill is survived by his wife, Judi Maas; his two children: Jill (Robert) Mielke and Cary (Sheila) Maas; grandchildren: Brandon Maas, Haley (Fiancé Matthew Sterling) Mielke, and Taylor (Eric) Berken; and great grandchildren: Rory and Cameron Berken. He is further survived by his siblings: Jerry (Mary Ann) Maas, Millie Otto, Lyle Maas, Rosie Stachura & Marion Maas; brothers and sisters-in-law: Keith Lambie, Bruce (Tahnya) Lambie, Dale (Jackie) Lambie, Neil Lambie, Edward Lambie, Kathy (Phil) McAdaragh, Gail Lambie, Karen Lambie; as well as many nieces, nephews, family members and friends.

In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Ashley; his siblings; in-laws; as well as many extended family members.

A Funeral Mass for Bill will be held on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 312 S. State St., Appleton, WI. Visitation will begin at the church at 9:00 a.m. and will continue until the time of the Mass. For online condolences, please visit www.valleyfh.com.

Per Bill’s wishes, the family kindly requests no flowers. A memorial will be established in Bill’s name at a later date.

​We wish to thank the staff at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital for the wonderful care and support provided. Thank you for your kindness and dedication.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.