A service livestream will be available below starting at the time of the service. When the service becomes live, a play button will appear in the center of the black box, click the play button to view the service. With any issues, please refresh your page and/or turn up your volume. If issues persist, please contact the funeral home.
Wilbert “Willie” Sayler, 98, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to many passed away on Oct. 12, 2021, at the Baptist Health Center from COVID. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Pkwy, Bismarck.
Visitation will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck.
Burial will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.
Willie was born on September 13, 1923, on the family farm in Venturia, the youngest living child to John and Karolina (Gunsch) Sayler. He attended school in Venturia and Ashley. He met the love of his life, Christine Job, and they married in Linton on Jan 15, 1946. They were married 73 years before her passing in December 2019. After they were married, they moved to Minneapolis so Willie could attend Mohler Barber School. He graduated in August 1946. After graduation, he worked in several cities in North Dakota before settling in Bismarck. He worked for several different barber shops before opening Bismarck’s first full-time appointment only barber shop, known as Provident Barber shop. Eventually, he moved locations and opened Willie’s Barber Style Center. He retired at the age of 88 after 65 years of barbering. He loved giving good quality care to his customers.
Family and friends were very important to him. He was especially happy when their daughter Jacalyn was born. He was even more excited when his granddaughters, Traci and Kristi, were born. He would always take time for them no matter what else was going on in his life. He treasured every moment with them. He never missed attending any of their activities. He loved their piano, dance and band recitals.
When Willie wasn’t working, he could be found taking care of his cars and keeping his house and yard in immaculate shape. He and his wife Chris loved to host wild card parties and loved to go dancing. On weekends you could always find them at the Elks, Eagles, or AmVets. Whenever you stopped at his house you had to have a shot of his “red-eye” – this recipe was passed on to his son-in-law and grandson-in-law. Willie loved all kinds of sports. There was always one TV on in the house that had sports playing. He also had the radio on listening to polkas and waltzes all the while doing his accounting for the business.
Everyone that met Willie was a friend for life. He always had a smile and greeting for everyone he saw. The one thing no one ever knew was his age. He received advice early in his career not to tell anyone his age because it would create a generational gap which he upheld to the end. His customers were not customers but friends having cut their hair for most of their lives.
Willie was a man of strong faith and passed this on to his family. He was a member of the EUB and United Methodist Church where he was head usher for many years.
He was a member of the ND Barbers Association, Elks, Eagles and Amvets.
Willie was preceded in death by his parents, John and Karolina; brothers, Fred, John, Arthur, Wilhelm, Gottlieb, Jakob, Otto and Adolf; sister, Magdalina; infant brother and sister, Edwin and Hulda; his wife of 73 years, Christine; and many brothers and sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephews.
Wilbert is survived by his daughter, Jacalyn (Dan) Haus; granddaughters, Traci (Lance) Anderson and Kristi (Casey) Carlson; great-granddaughter, Annika Carlson; great-grandsons, Bennett and Nolan Anderson; brother in-law, Herman Job; and many nieces and nephews.
Wilbert’s daughter and family would like to say thank you to the staff at the Baptist Health for the wonderful care given to Wilbert the last three years after his stroke.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Baptist Health Care Center, 3400 Nebraska Dr., Bismarck, ND 58503.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Wilbert Sayler, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
