William Allen Tomlinson

William Allen Tomlinson (Bill), age 75, left this world on December 1. He passed peacefully after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Bill was born on April 29th, 1948 in York, NE. When he was 8 years old he asked Jesus into his heart. Bill graduated from Spencer High School, in Spencer, IA in 1966.  Having a heart for ministry, Bill attended Moody Bible Institute and received his BA in Christian Education in 1971.  Bill served as a youth pastor in Pines, IN for one year before going on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ working in missions for eight years.  It was during that time that he met, fell in love with and married Jan Bartlett in Atlanta, Ga.  After that Bill served as youth pastor at Riverside Evangelical Church in MN for four years, where his first child was born.

 Bill graduated from Bethel Seminary in St Paul, MN  in 1986 and welcomed his second child. That year Bill became the pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church, in Duluth, MN, where his third child was born.  In 1990 Bill became the pastor of Cut Bank Evangelical Free Church in Cut Bank, Montana.  Four years later the family returned to Spencer, IA and Bill worked in his mother’s business, Spencer Building Supply until 2012.   Bill was active in First Baptist Church as a deacon, AWANA leader, and CEF. Bill’s favorite ministry visiting the people in the nursing homes and those that were shut in. Bill and Jan were able to go on a tour in Israel before he was diagnosed to have Alzheimer’s.  

Bill was proceeded in death by his parents, J.W. and Reva Tomlinson, as well as, his brother Don. Bill is survived by his wife Jan, his daughter Elizabeth (Brian) Bixby, his son David and Ashlyn/Andrew, his twin grandsons Cullen and Blake (given to him by his “favorite” daughter), as well as his brothers Jim (Barb), Dean (Carol), Dan (Sandy) and their families. Bill was devoted to his family and Lord.