William James Montana was born on 13 February 1934 in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, the youngest of Joseph James Montana and Margaret Frances Hayes Montana. After putting up a brave fight, he died on 12 March 2005 at his home in Silsbee, Texas, of pancreatic cancer.
He entered the U.S. Navy in 1952 and “saw the world”. The Korean War was going on and his carrier was positioned off the Korean coast. After he served a stint mainly in the tropics with the Navy, he was discharged in the snowy winter of Pennsylvania. Taking a chance on the weather in Texas, he came to Dallas, Texas, where he met his future wife, Jeanne Hatzenbuehler. On 20 June 1958, they were married and started a life-long love affair.
Bill has been a teacher of air conditioning, owner of an air conditioning company, maintenance man, and lastly, an employee of O’Reilly Auto Parts. He took to the life in a small town, Silsbee, Texas, where the family moved in 1974. He rode in the parade in a pony cart that he made and he was the General Contractor of a home built in Silsbee. He helped with the Boy Scouts as an Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster and as Akila, the Indian who helped the Webelos cross over the bridge toward being a Boy Scout. After his boys left the Scouts, Bill go into Little League as a coach and an umpire. He was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, serving on the vestry, helping with the Chili Cook-off and all of the other things a man can do for his church. But mainly, he was the proud father of Bill, Jr., Steve, Maggie and Robert and the loving husband of Jeanne.
Survivors are his wife, Jeanne Hatzenbuehler Montana of Silsbee, TX; sons, William J. Montana Jr. and wife, Janet, of Plano, TX; Stephen E. Montana and wife, Becky, of Arlington, TX; and Robert C. Montana of Silsbee, TX; daughter, Margaret J. Tipsword and husband, Geric, of Houston, TX; brother, Joseph C. Montana of Calistoga, CA; sister, Elinor M. Johnson, of Monongahela, PA; sister, Emma L. Brirley and husband, John T., of Florida; and sister-in-law, Harriett B. Montana, of North Canton, OH; father-in-law, George W. Hatzenbuehler, Jr. of Gray’s Prairie, TX and six grandchildren.
Viewing will be at Farmer Funeral Home at 5:00 pm Sunday. The funeral will be at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Silsbee, TX at 10:00 am on Monday, 14 March 2005. Interment will be in Grove Hill Cemetery in Dallas, TX on Tuesday.
His family wishes to thank Odyssey Hospice of Beaumont for the care he received from them.
