Kayleigh Jade Weiland

Kayleigh Jade Weiland

Kayleigh Jade Weiland, 22, of Billings, was taken from us suddenly in the early hours of Sept. 12, 2021. She was born on June 3, 1999, in Billings, to James Weiland and Erika Willkom Beddow. She graduated from Skyview High School in 2017, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA for all four years. That fall, she attended MSU-Bozeman to study engineering. She did well, but finances caused her to leave MSU 18 months later. She worked various jobs in Bozeman, and enjoyed the outdoor activities that Bozeman is known for. She loved the mountains, and it was hard for her to move back to Billings and leave the quick, easy access to the mountains. In July of 2020, she went on a fishing trip to Alaska for halibut and salmon, and caught the biggest fish of the day on her first day out. She had vowed to return one day.

Kayleigh had boundless energy. As her Grandma Cheryl said, “she lived her life at 100 miles an hour.” She was not afraid to tackle anything. Tyler Craig was teaching her to ride horse and rope. They would spend hours practicing at his family’s lighted arena.

Kayleigh loved the holidays. She and her Grandma Brenda looked forward to attending the yearly performance of the Nutcracker ballet at the Alberta Bair Theater. She, along with her sister Brianna and Grandma Brenda, set aside a day in December to make lefse. She quickly picked up the art of rolling and frying the dough. She said working at a pizza parlor and rolling pizza dough was good training for lefse. She also mastered frying the lefse, and could turn it using only one stick.

One of her jobs in Bozeman was vehicle detailing. She put that skill to use when her Grandpa Dick drove his Jeep into a mud puddle at MK Campground by Red Lodge. The mud and water filled the footwells, and became quite stinky. She offered to help clean it, and set about the task with an air hose and a vacuum. Grandpa was skeptical this would work, but Kayleigh told him, “Grandpa, I've been doing this for quite a while, and I know what I’m doing.”

Kayleigh spent some time working at RE Family Services advocating for the kids in foster care so they could be reunited with their families. She has a reader board on the shelf above her bed that reads: si vis pacem para bellum, which is Latin for: if you want peace prepare for war. All she wanted was for the kids to have the best possible outcome.

When she first moved back to Billings, she worked with her dad installing house siding. She loved working with her dad.

When she was younger, she took a trip to the Oregon coast traveling Highway 101 from Astoria, all the way to Tillimook with her mom, stepdad, sister and stepbrothers. They all had a great time playing in the sea and sand. She also saw Glacier Park, Denver, & many trips up the Beartooth Pass & Chief Joseph Memorial Highway with them.

She is loved and survived by her father, James Weiland; mother Erika Beddow; sisters Brianna Williams (Tyler Flournoy), Annika Beddow and Laralynn Beddow; brother Blake Beddow; paternal grandmother Cheryl Weiland; maternal grandparents Dick and Brenda Willkom; maternal great grandmother Lous Marie Kraus; aunts and uncles, cousins and many wonderful friends.

Our hearts are broken; Godspeed, Kayleigh, until we meet again.

Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary.

Memorials may be made to Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, 1735 Monad Road, Billings, MT 59101; RE Family Services, 3927 - 3931 1st Ave S, Billings, MT 59101 or charity of your choice in honor of Kayleigh.