Bill Gessner Papers
Collection Overview
Title: Bill Gessner Papers
ID: OGLMC1724
Primary Creator: Gessner, William (1947-2019)
Extent: 3.5 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 04/23/2024
Subjects: Music, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Bill Gessner Papers consist of his obituaries, CDs of his recorded songs, articles he wrote for the Cooperative Grocer Magazine, song lyrics and poems including songs printed in his church's Christmas newsletters, notebooks full of song lyrics and personal notes, Gessner genealogy, personal letters to his parents, and information about song writing workshops.
Series 1: Biographical Materials
Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry
Series 3: Notebooks
Series 4: Gessner Genealogy
Series 5: Songwriting Workshops
Collection Historical Note
"William 'Bill' Gessner died unexpectedly on the evening of January 14, 2019, at Courage Kenny Rehab Center in Golden Valley, Minnesota, following a stroke on November 27, 2018. Bill was born in Fargo, ND, on July 27, 1947. He graduated from Minot High School in 1965. He was the student manager of the 1965 state championship Magicians basketball team and active in Student Council. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and graduated with a B.A. from the University of North Dakota in 1969. He began his longtime co-op career when he managed the Grand Forks Food Co-op during the late 1970s.
Bill was a much loved figure in three national communities: food co-ops, songwriters & musicians, and amateur tennis enthusiasts. He had an extremely active life based in Minneapolis and had created a network of friends nationwide due to these interests. He helped found several key co-op organizations and worked for more than twenty years with CDS Consulting Co-op. In 2012, he was honored by being inducted by his colleagues into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. They described Bill as being 'loyal, loving, generous, unassuming, humorous, playful, even quirky.' Bill recorded two CDs with his own compositions, 'Welcome to Gessnerville, Pop. 19' and 'Wild Life.' In the fields of co-ops, music, and tennis, it would be impossible to count the number of people who would say 'I wouldn't be where I am without Bill Gessner's support.'
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Royce and Elaine Gessner. He is survived by his seven cousins, Mike and David Hoopman, Judith Hains, Fred and Pete Challoner, Blaine Shepherd, Georgia Bond, and countless dear and treasured friends. His body will be cremated and buried next to his parents in the Walhalla Cemetery in eastern North Dakota. A celebration of Bill's life will be held in Minneapolis in May."
Source: Grand Forks Herald, 1 February 2019
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Carolyn King, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Acquisition Method: Donation; 2024-3507
Preferred Citation: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Processing Information: Processed by Tamara Bordon, Special Collections Graduate Student Intern, in May 2024.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1991-2019],
[Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry, 1973-2018],
[Series 3: Gessner's Notebooks, 1972-2003],
[Series 4: Gessner Genealogy, 1963-1995],
[Series 5: Songwriting Workshops, 1997-2018],
[All]
- Series 5: Songwriting Workshops, 1997-2018
The fifth series contains information regarding songwriting workshops arranged chronologically, including a New York Times article about a song writing workshop in Rhinebeck, New York, titled "Songs Just Waiting to Be Written" and a booklet from the WinterSongs West workshop with notes from Gessner about Writing Funny Songs, Box 2, Folders 75-76. It also contains digital copies* of notes from various songwriting workshops called WinterSongs, Songwriting As Adventure, and OMEGA.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
- Folder 1: Songs Just Waiting to be Written, 28 August, 1997
- Newspaper article about a songwriter's workshop, Box 2, Folder 75.
- Folder 2: OMEGA Advanced Songwriting Class, 2002-2018
Digital Copies* of documents regarding the OMEGA Advanced Songwriting Class.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: OMEGA Classroom Set-Up Form
Item 2: OMEGA Songwriting 2011--
Item 3: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2002?
Item 4: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2003
Item 5: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2004
Item 6: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2005
Item 7: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2008
Item 8: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2009
Item 9: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2011
Item 10: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2012
Item 11: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2013
Item 12: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2014
Item 13: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2015
Item 14: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2016
Item 15: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2018
- Folder 3: Songwriting As Adventure, 2003-2017
Digital Copies* of records from Songwriting As Adventure songwriting workshops that Gessner helped lead.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2003
Item 2: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2005
Item 3: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2006
Item 4: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2007
Item 5: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2008
Item 6: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2009
Item 7: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2010
Item 8: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2011
Item 9: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2012
Item 10: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2013
Item 11: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2014
Item 12: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2015
Item 13: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2017
- Folder 4: WinterSongs Songwriting Conferences, 2006-2008
- Item 1: WinterSongs 2006
Digital copy* of catalog for WinterSongs 2006.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: WriterSongs 2006; Gessner wrote about Song Critiques, giving and receiving criticism.
- Item 2: WinterSongs 2008
- Booklet from the WinterSongs West workshop with notes from Gessner about Writing Funny Songs, Box 2, Folder 76.
- Item 1: WinterSongs 2006
- Folder 1: Songs Just Waiting to be Written, 28 August, 1997
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1991-2019],
[Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry, 1973-2018],
[Series 3: Gessner's Notebooks, 1972-2003],
[Series 4: Gessner Genealogy, 1963-1995],
[Series 5: Songwriting Workshops, 1997-2018],
[All]