Millard F. Trask

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Millard F. Trask, 85 of Billings, passed away Wednesday, January 18, 2012 of natural causes.

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather was born on October 1, 1926, in Billings. The youngest son of George Preston Trask and Maureen Kinmouth Trask was raised on the Trask Family Ranch homesteaded by his great-grandfather, on Arrow Creek outside of Ballantine, MT. Millard attended Huntley Project High School, and graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1944. After serving in the Army Air Corp, he attended Montana State College, graduating in 1950 with a degree in Animal Industry from the Department of Agriculture. He remained a very proud Bobcat, watching several children and grandchildren also graduate from Montana State University in Bozeman.

Millard met and married his sweetheart and the love of his life, Beverly Anne Schmidt, In 1949. Lovingly married for 62 years, they had three children: son Terry and daughters Gay and Lynn. He relocated with his family to Great Falls and then Shelby to start his own farm. Millard eventually became an Independent Petroleum Landman, living and working in Casper, Wyo. and Durango, Colo. Millard and Beverly returned to Billings, making it their permanent home in 1970. He was active member in many community organizations and societies including Masons, AI Bedoo Shriners, Young Republicans, and Montana Association of Petroleum Landmen.

A true Montanan, Millard was an avid skier, rock hound, wildflower and bird expert, hunter and fisherman. He and his wife loved to travel, including fishing in the Baja, cruising in the Caribbean, and wintering in both California and Arizona for many years. Millard had the character we admire, someone raised on a ranch and merged into the modern world. He was who he was, and could stand up to adversity. He warmed our hearts with his kindness and generosity, and his quick humor always made friends and strangers smile; he had that ability to befriend all. With lifelong friends, family and chocolate always nearby, Millard loved life.

Millard is survived by his wife Beverly Trask of Billings; his three children, Terry Trask of Bellevue, Idaho, Gay Hamilton (Rob) of Bozeman and Lynn Walter (Kim) of Billings; brother Charles Preston Trask of Worden, and sister Helen Weaver, of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; grandchildren James “Jimmy” Buker (Jenica) of Billings, Tracy Buker of Seattle, WA, Hailey Hamilton of Red Lodge and Dawn Hamilton of Bozeman; great grandchildren Kallie Buker, Abygail Buker and Colin Buker; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cremation has taken place. To honor Millard, memorial services will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, January 23, at Shiloh United Methodist Church. Inurnment with military honors will follow at Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park.

Memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.

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