Bill, Margaret Tretheway receive warm send-off

On Sunday, May 31, the community of Custer and beyond came to celebrate, give thanks/appreciation and say “see you later,” not goodbye, to long time residents/educators/music educators, Bill and Margaret Tretheway. Friends, fellow educators and church friends hosted over 200 people who showed up to celebrate the impact the Tretheways have made on their lives.
All generations were represented of fellow educators, present and past.  Church friends, fellow musicians, former students and community friends were among those in attendance. Several generations of families came out to celebrate, from newborn babies to elders. There was much laughter, tears of joy, tears of sadness, hugs, memories and well wishes.
The Tretheways are moving to Iowa to live with their daughter. Friends and family gave them a loving send off. A large photo of former Custer School District coworkers was taken. Shortly after that a line formed to greet them and get a photo. The line never ended for two hours straight.
Years ago Margaret came to Custer to work at Outlaw Ranch. She would take a position with Custer Elementary as a teacher’s aide. She met and fell in love with the high school band teacher, Mr. T, aka Bill Tretheway. They married in 1970 and have two children—Michelle and Tania.  
They would leave Custer in 1970 due to frustration with the priority of a music program, no band room and trying to teach band in a cramped classroom. They spent six years in Lovell, Wyo. Custer School District began to take band more seriously and built a band room. Bill was offered the position again, and the rest is history. 
Bill was inducted into the Custer Jr./Sr.High School Hall of Fame in 2016. He had a 38-year career impacting and teaching thousands of students.  He did not retire until the age of 72.
“I can’t possibly begin to thank them (his students) for the wonderful things they taught me over the years,” he said. “I learned more from young people than they ever learned from me. That is my reward.  They touched my life in a profound way.”
Bill was also honored at Custer Elementary’s Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song for the 2012-13 school year.
Margaret was a beloved Teacher’s Aide at Custer Elementary School. Many said she and kindergarten teacher Cozy Dorton were a phenomenal team. They brought friendship, love, discipline, exploration, curiosity and music into all of their students lives on a daily basis. Both loved music, and there was always singing and piano music filtering down the kindergarten hallway.  Margaret retired from Custer Elementary School in 2009.
Margaret is a vocalist and musician, earning a music degree. She taught hundreds of students private music lessons. She would make practice accompaniment tapes for individual students. 
Her most famous was probably a boys quartet named, “3 Muscles and A Freckle,” consisting of Ben Mueller, Matt Lyndoe, Joey Ford and Nick Phillipe—the freckle. They spent hours practicing at the Tretheways’ home, oftentimes doing their homework there after practice.  
Margaret also collaborated with Cherry Luitjens creating “Music Alive” in Custer, a musical talent show that featured many young musicians from Custer and other communities around the Black Hills.
The Tretheways are part of the Custer Lutheran Fellowship (CLF) church family. They served and impacted their faith community as well. Margaret served in music ministry at CLF as its music coordinator for 42 years. She worked with all aspects of music ministry, praising the Lord through song.  
In 2003, Bill and Margaret were named “Individuals of the Year” by the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce. Now, 23 years later they remain a power couple that have been married for 56 years.
“They have given us all a legacy of joy, friendship, love and musical richness,” said friend Michelle Watland.
They have five beautiful grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. 
“If you have the pleasure of knowing the Tretheways, your life is forever impacted,” Watland said. “We are not saying goodbye, but see you soon, Bill and Margaret. Best wishes on this new chapter in your lives from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the farmland of Iowa. Never forgotten, always loved and adored.” 
From the words of the song, “For Good,” “Because I (we) knew you, I’ve (we’ve) been changed for good.”
—Submitted Story