William Robert Poulson

William “Bill/Butch” Poulson, age 81, of rural Chetek/New Auburn passed away Thursday, January 15th, 2026 at Cumberland Care & Rehab., after a battle with leukemia that ended with kidney failure.  He was born July 27th, 1944 to William Sr. & Lavina (Waugh) Poulson at Des Moines, IA.  He spent his childhood in rural Spooner, WI where he and his sister, Pat, played in the woods & lakes catching wild animals & trying to make them pets.  The family moved to Shell Lake when Bill was in 7th grade & he graduated from Shell Lake High School in 1962.  On September 30th, 1972, he was married to Paula Davis at Rice Lake.  Throughout the years he worked at several places including; American Motors in Kenosha, Johnson Truck Bodies, Wright Products, Furitel & the Chetek Development Foundation.  What he loved most was being outside; fishing, hunting, trapping, riding snowmobile & weekend trips to Canada.  Later in life he enjoyed talking on the CB, ATV rides, feeding the wildlife in his backyard, taking pictures & mowing grass.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, father & mother-in-law: Floyd & Hilda Davis, brothers-in-law: Bob Jacobs, Wyman Solie, Keith Davis & Scott Samuels, sister-in-law: Myrla Samuels, nephew: Wesley Solie, niece: Danette Picknel & infant great grandchild: Chloe Poulson.  He is survived by his wife of 53 years: Paula, 4 daughters: Robyn Poulson of Adams, WI, Rhonda (Stan) Houston of Chetek, Dawn Poulson of Inver Grove Heights, MN & Heidi Morneau of Cumberland, 11 grandchildren: Tim (Andrea) Kluge, Krystle (Jake) Poulson, Michelle Malische Arebalo, Christine (Jared) Thom, Ashley (Jerry) Lewis, Rhianna Houston, Addie (Jordon) Houston, Ian Houston, Nathan (Alexis) Poulson, Victoria Poulson & Isabel Gonyer, 9 great grandchildren, sister: Pat (Bob) Jascobs of Eureka, MT, brothers & sisters-in-law: Bruce (Janet) Davis of Turtle Lake, Laureen Davis of Chetek, Steven (Betty) Davis of Chetek, Nathan Davis of Chetek, Greg (Joan) Davis of Chetek, Kim (Layne) Grover of Chetek, Wendy (Gene) Sorum of Chetek & Roxann (Jay) Slattery of Chetek, as well as many nieces, nephews & friends of far & wide.

A Celebration of Bill’s Life will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, February 7th at Lehman's Supper Club in Rice Lake.  Bill’s family would like to extend a huge “thank you” to Cumberland Care & Rehab for their top notch care, their over the top kindness & great patience.  They created the absolute best experience possible from 16 days of rehab through the decision of 5 days of hospice.  Arrangements are with Rausch-Lundeen Funeral Homes, Cameron & Dallas.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Robert Poulson, please visit our floral store.