William Rissman

Remembering William "Bill" Rissman

William "Bill" Rissman passed away peacefully at home on Monday, June 16, 2025, at the age of 82. He is now reunited with those who preceded him in death: his parents, Howard and Bertha; his younger brother, Bob; his brother-in-law, Richard; his sister-in-law, Sue; and his niece, Anna. 

Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Sharon; their daughter, Paula, and her husband, Chris; and his granddaughter, Sam, and her husband, Colin. He also leaves behind many cherished family members, including his sister, Carol and Cal; his brother, Dave; his niece, Kim, and her family; his niece, Denise, her husband, Ron, and their family; his nephew, Rick, his wife, Monica, and their family; and his sister-in-law, Sandy. 

A Life Rich in Connections

Family and friends were truly among Bill's greatest loves. He cherished keeping up with so many different people through Facebook. The sheer breadth of his connections was remarkable, spanning from family and childhood friends (even as far back as kindergarten) to his church community and church camp friends. He connected with Putt-Putt friends from Albuquerque and New Orleans, and the friends he and Sharon made at their comic book and sports card store in New Orleans. His network extended to his eBay and Balloon Pin contacts in Albuquerque and beyond, as well as his fantasy sports league friends. Every joke, photo, story, and shared moment brightened his days. 

A Journey of Passion and People

Born in Michigan to Howard and Bertha Rissman, Bill grew up with his brothers, Bob and Dave, and his sister, Carol. He met his wife, Sharon, in Michigan, and they shared a remarkable 60 years together. 

Their life journey took them from Michigan to Phoenix, where Bill worked as a bill collector and a convenience store manager before finding his passion selling pianos and organs. This job allowed him to embrace his childhood love for playing music. It also brought them to Albuquerque, where he continued selling until he transitioned to managing Putt-Putt courses. He genuinely enjoyed this role, the people he met, and participating in tournaments. 

Bill's love for Putt-Putt eventually led them to New Orleans, where they owned a course for several years. They then opened a comic book and trading card store, once again fortunate to meet more wonderful friends. Their desire to be close to family brought them back to Albuquerque when their granddaughter was five, allowing them to watch her grow up. 

Back in Albuquerque, with Sharon's help, Bill ventured into selling on eBay. What started as a way to clear out their remaining comic book and trading card stock evolved into a successful venture selling balloon pins. He relished the challenge of finding unique pins people would enjoy and treasured the connections he made along the way. 

Hope and Heavenly Wins

For leisure, Bill loved visiting casinos, playing lottery games, and indulging in scratch-offs. He held a steadfast belief that one day he would win the lottery, faithfully buying his tickets. While that big win didn't happen on Earth, we can find comfort in knowing his greatest win was surely arriving in Heaven. Bill was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed, but we can all find joy in the thought of him reunited with the family and friends he missed so dearly. 

Service Information

A memorial service for family and friends will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Sunset Memorial Park. If you are unable to attend but would like to view it, we hope to have it on Facebook Live. The service will be located by the garden area niches. Your greatest gift has been the memories and good wishes you have shared with us. If you were thinking of sending flowers, please consider making a donation to your favorite charity in his memory.