William "Bill" Aaron Malm, 68, of Sycamore, IL, left his earthly home for his heavenly home on Thursday, April 20, 2023 surrounded by his family after a short bout with cancer.

He was born on September 3 ^rd , 1954 to Charles and Irene (Hogan) Malm of Sycamore, Illinois. He has 3 siblings; Martha (Ron) Byrd, John (Doneva) Malm, and Pat (Mario) Sanchez. He married Shari Dresser, the love of his life on April 14, 1973, and they just celebrated their 50 ^th Anniversary. They have two daughters; Kelli Malm and Coreen (Caleb) Wilson, two granddaughters, Alyssa (James) Jack and Hailey Kurth, one great-granddaughter, Emily Jack, and one "Grand-Dog", Blizzard. He was proceeded in death by his parents.

He loved his family greatly and was a good husband, dad, grandpa, and great grandpa. He enjoyed spending time with his family, and "grand-dog", who he even allowed on the couch, regardless of his previous "no dogs on the furniture rule".

Bill was always ready to support his family's dreams. He did not hesitate to jump in and help when Shari opened the Christian Connection. He and his friends built bookshelves and installed slatwall throughout the store. Not only did he serve as "handy man", he took on the role of co-owner and provided financial support to get the store up and running. He was always Shari's biggest supporter, and encouraged her at every step.

His faith in Jesus Christ was strong and he lived his life each day with integrity as a man of God. He served at Cathedral of Praise in DeKalb in various roles – as a member of the council, an armor bearer supporting the pastor, head usher, and a spiritual father and mentor to others. His role as handy man didn't stop at the bookstore, he served in the same capacity at church. His service did not stop within the four walls of the church, he traveled to South America on a missions trip, where he saw God heal a women's arm. He was always vocal when the presence of God was known. One particular memory that meant a lot to him was a touch of the Holy Spirit during a "camp meeting" in Ohio – one of many times that God showed up and moved in the life of Bill.

Bill was a leader who led by example. He was fair and honest and wasn't afraid to hold people accountable for their actions. He also wasn't afraid to stand up for others, who were being bullied, from the time he was a kid.

Bill was an avid sportsman. Throughout his life, he enjoyed playing tennis, racquetball, golfing and bowling. His greatest passion was target shooting at Sycamore Sportsmen and Conservation Club. He shot pistols and rifles at various targets including his famous metal pig. He loved sharing his joy of shooting with others, and mentored many men and women on shooting and gun safety. He spent the vast majority of his free time in the last few decades at the gun range in all kinds of weather, reloading ammunition to save more, shoot more and perfect his aim. Every Friday morning, he could be found there. He served on the board of the Sportsmen's Club for many years. He was Treasurer, Head Range officer, a range safety officer, and had also served as membership chairman. He was a strong advocate for maintaining the strength and value of the club.

His family was very important to him, including his "adopted" family members. He was a father figure to many. His love was strong and could be felt beyond his hugs. He also had strong bonds with co-workers, church members, and friends, of which he had many. He enjoyed having his weekly early morning breakfast with his brother-in-law Ron every Wednesday morning, and meeting with co-workers on Tuesday evenings at Ski's for pizza and beer. His favorite place to eat was Rise & Shine Restaurant in Sycamore. He and Shari ate there frequently, and the owners & workers quickly "became family".

He graduated from Sycamore High School in 1972, and attended courses at Kishwaukee Community College. In 1973 he began his career at Ideal Industries in Sycamore, where he retired after over 40 years of service. He later worked part time as a bailiff at the Dekalb County Court House.

Bill will be sadly missed, but his spirit lives on in the lives he touched. We know God has said to him, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant".

A memorial service will be on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 2pm at the Butala Funeral Home, 1405 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore, IL. and his visitation will follow from 3-7pm.

Memorial donations for Bill Malm can be made in his honor to Cathedral of Praise, 1126 S. First St, DeKalb, IL 60115 or in care of the Butala Funeral Home and Crematory, 1405 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore, IL 60178.

To sign the online guest book or share a special memory,  go to www.butalafuneralhomes.com