William F. Woolston

William F. Woolston - kind, sharp and classy to the end - died peacefully at his home on the morning of Monday, March 23, 2015. He was 93.

Bill was born in Forsyth to Ernest and Mary Woolston on June 24, 1921, with many good years and adventures ahead of him. We still haven't confirmed that he really kicked a football over the Rosebud County Courthouse, but we know that he played a lot of front-yard baseball, made many lifelong friends, such as Swede, Pops and McPhee, and took good care of his pony Teddy and, later, his little brother Artie and his sister Marge. He grew up with a passion for sports, a love for big-band music and a Depression-era commitment to working hard and looking out for his neighbors.

He played basketball, football and clarinet for the Dogies, but never boasted excessive talent. "When you grow up in a small town, your chances of playing for the school band are pretty good," he said. He went on to a brief stint at Rocky Mountain College (then Billings Poly), where he played basketball and football before life got serious. After quitting school and moving to New Jersey to work with his uncle, he rushed home after the bombing of Pearl Harbor to enlist in his hometown. He ended up signing up for two things: The U.S. Army and a 70-year stint with a Forsyth teacher (and future Army captain) named Margaret "Peg" Corlett.

For years, Bill didn't talk much about the war, but a trip on the first Montana Honor Flight helped open up the memories. His unit, the 71st Infantry, marched through Austria pursuing the retreating Germans. His selfless actions during his one day as a German prisoner earned him a Bronze Star and the French Croix de Guerre. The unit helped liberate the Gunskirchen Lager death camp in May of 1945.

Bill came home to a long and successful career as a project engineer with the Montana Highway Department, a perfect job for someone with his incredible meticulousness and refined people skills. He and Peg raised three sons - Dee, Don and Dana - while collecting a staggering number of friends throughout Billings and across the state.

Bill retired in 1982 and reveled in the time he had to golf at Laurel, visit his cabin on the Boulder River, winter in warmer places like Ft. Clark, Texas, and join friends to tell his stories salted with unique expressions ("Handier than a pocket on a shirt."). He attended just about every sporting event involving West High or Rocky Mountain College. If there's a person in Billings who has spent more time in the bleachers at Daylis Stadium, he has yet to be identified. He attended First Presbyterian Church just as faithfully.

We remember Bill for his humor, his kindness and his endless patience for everyone who wasn't as careful and thoughtful as he was, which was pretty much everyone. He liked to arrive at games early - sometimes before the janitorial staff - and often left at the third quarter to beat the crowd. But he stayed with us for a good, long time. And we're grateful.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Peg; his daughter-in-law, Jan Woolston; his sister, Marge; and his youngest son, Dana, who died in 1974 while saving a drowning child.

He is survived by his brother, Art Woolston (wife C.J.) of Salt Lake City; son Dee Woolston of Billings; son Don Woolston (Sandi) of Madison, Wis.; grandson Chris Woolston (Blythe) of Billings; granddaughter Carrie Hook (Joe) of Bozeman; grandson Colin Woolston (Cristen) of Madison; granddaughter Corina Abbey (Chris) of Rochester, Minn.; and eight great-grandchildren who all had the great fortune to feel his love.

His end-of-life celebration will be held at 11 am Friday, March 27, at First Presbyterian Church (Billings), with a lunch reception to follow.