Rev. William R. Kilps was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised in the suburb of Hales Corners. He began his education at Hales Corners Lutheran School and spent his high school years at Martin Luther High School in Greendale, Wisconsin.

He enrolled at Concordia College in Milwaukee and graduated with a B.A. of Arts degree from Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, Illinois in 1978. In February of the following year, Pastor Kilps entered Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

He was awarded the Masters of Divinity degree in November, 1982. He received his first Call to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Marengo, Wisconsin, and was ordained into the Holy Ministry. Six months later, Rev. Kilps was also installed as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Glidden, Wisconsin, after the two congregations entered into a dual parish relationship.

Pastor Kilps continued to serve both congregations until 1986, when he accepted a Call to Zion Lutheran Church in East Moline, Illinois. During his ministry there, Rev. Kilps also functioned in other capacities as Circuit Counselor, Second Vice President of the Central Illinois District, as a Synodical and District Reconciler, and on the Synod President's panel for dialogue with RIM.

Rev. Kilps remained in East Moline until seven years ago, when he accepted a Call to his present congregation, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Rev. Kilps married Lori Louise Gottschalk in 1978. Mrs. Kilps is also a graduate of Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, IL. She is a rostered teacher of the LC-MS.

The Lord has blessed the Kilps' with two children - Billy, age 20, and Nathanael, age 22, who, in the fall of 2005, enrolled in his fifth year of classes at Concordia University, Wisconsin. Rev. Kilps is in the process of completing his studies toward an S.T.M. Degree.