Louis J. Ventrell

Lou Ventrell died on December 30, 2023. He was 102 years old. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 7, 1921, he was the son of Frank Ventrell and Barbara Fischlein. He was baptized at St. Barbara’s Catholic Church and educated at Bushwick High School. He was 8 years old at the beginning of the Great Depression, but never complained of hardships, insisting that he never went hungry. Lou left home for the first time in 1942 to serve in the army in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Lou was a Control Tower Operator, the first of the Army Airforce men to land on Iwo Jima, building a runway for airplanes and the first radio tower while under gunfire with the help of only one other soldier. He received a Bronze Star, a Good Conduct Medal, as well as the American Theater Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal and Victory Medal. Lou was a Marksman on the Combine, became a Certified Clerk Typist and a Sergeant.

He was shaped by the Depression and WWII, yet these grand events of the 20th century did not define him and tell only a small part of the story. Lou was hardworking and diligent, but also a gentle, giving man. He smiled with his eyes, used fewer words than most, and was quietly yet profoundly present in the lives of the people he knew and loved. His rare combination of charisma and humility drew many  toward him and his family.

Lou married his first wife, Marie Rush, during the war and moved to Montana in 1947 to be close to Marie’s family. Arriving in Billings, he found a culture far different from his New York roots, where success, as he recalled, was measured by the head of cattle a man did or did not own. Lou held on to his Brooklyn accent and the outlook on life, learned by growing up in New York, that it takes all kinds of people to make the world go around. Yet he embraced Montana and Montana embraced him. He built a successful career in Billings, albeit without cattle.

Lou and Marie raised three children and Lou ran the Firestone Store on First Avenue in Billings for decades. He was a devoted father who gave his children opportunity while insisting they understood the value of a hard day’s work. Whining was not allowed. He was well known and admired for his friendly manner, working hard, giving his new employees a fair start, and for dedication to the company. Marie died in 1979. Years later and after retiring from Firestone, Lou fell in love for a second time, married his current wife, Carol, and spent his time taking care of their home on O’Malley Drive. Lou and Carol were devoted to each other and to the community at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church for nearly 40 years.

Lou is survived by his wife Carol Ventrell [née Svoboda]; his three children, Louetta Ventrell Kalof, Teresa Ventrell Longo and Marvin Ventrell; their partners, Bud Longo Jr. and Jessica Swan Ventrell; six grandchildren, Patrick Ventrell, Alexander Ventrell Longo, Courtney Kalof DeClercq, Lily Ventrell, Sophie Longo Kohlmoos and Max Longo; six great-grandchildren; his stepdaughter Niki Robinson and her two daughters, Lynsey and Andreja Bourke.

Lou lived an honorable life and, in so doing, created a pathway for generations of Ventrells to lead successful, meaningful lives, and in turn, pay opportunity forward. He was a man for others.

A celebration of life will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5, Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave. A memorial mass will be at 12 noon on Saturday, Jan. 6, at St. Patrick Co-Cathedral, 215 N. 31st St.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America or your local Boys and Girls Club.