William Townsend II

William Joel Townsend II, devoted husband and proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away on December 6, 2025, at the age of 84, in Billings, Montana, surrounded by family.

William, known as "Bill" or "Billy" since he was young, was born to William and Bernice Townsend on July 6, 1941, at St. Bernardine Hospital in San Bernardino, California. Bill was the eldest of three children and for the first five years of his life lived with his grandparents in Ogden, Utah, while his father was serving overseas during World War II.  When his father returned, he spent most of his youth in Las Vegas, Nevada. His children will always remember while driving on the freeway through Nevada, he would at one point turn off the air conditioner, roll down the window and put his head out the window to enjoy the desert heat. 

When he was in High School, he and his family moved to San Bernardino, California. From a very young age Bill loved everything about cars; while washing his car in his driveway, he found his one true love, Linda Ruth Meyer.  Bill and Linda were married for time and all eternity on July 21, 1960, in the St. George Temple.

Bill and Linda moved to San Francisco, so he could attend the University of California where he earned a doctorate degree in dentistry in 1966.  He served his country as an Army Captain in a Vietnam M.A.S.H. unit, where he earned a Purple Heart. From the M.A.S.H unit he was somehow able to send his wife, who was living in South Dakota, flowers when she gave birth to his first son.  He enjoyed working, serving and raising his family in the small railroad/fishing town of Dunsmuir, California. To commemorate the first fish each child caught, Bill would make a mold of that fish, from dental impression material, so it could be displayed proudly. His family meant everything to him, as did his testimony of Jesus Christ. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities, including a counselor in a bishopric, bishop and high counselor.

He is survived by his loving wife Linda, and their children: Bilinda Kay (Nathan Liang) Wong, of Sandy, Utah; Wendy Lee (Andrew Paul) Bjazevich of St. George, Utah; William Bradley (Michelle Ann) Townsend of Roseburg, Oregon; Nicholle Kristine (Anthony Neil) Dods of Fresno, California; Remington Meyer (Melissa Fowler) Townsend of Billings, Montana; Cameron James (Kari Jean) Townsend of Billings, Montana; thirty-two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and Sisters Rebecca (Becky) Luella (Paul Taylor) Ballstaedt and Colleen Townsend (Lynn Andrew) Shumway. 

He was preceded in death by his father William Joel Townsend, his mother Bernice McCracken Townsend, his daughter Michelle Marie Townsend (1965-1966) and his son Marc Edward Townsend (1979-1980).

A funeral will be held in his honor on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel, located at 3595 Monad Road, Billings, Montana 59102.  Friends and family may visit the family at the church before the funeral, from 10:00 - 10:45 a.m.. His body will be laid to rest in the Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park.

For those who cannot attend the service, please view the livestream at this link:

https://boxcast.tv/view/live-broadcast-wu1s3nwmzmlsuqgcukdy?_gl=1*1pzb7ng*_gcl_au*ODc5NDc4NzcxLjE3NjYyNTI2MTIuMTQzNjYyOTQ3OC4xNzY2MjUyNjQwLjE3NjYyNTI3Njg.*_ga*MTc1NjIyNDI1Ni4xNzY2MjUyNjEz*_ga_PXBBF7HVWQ*czE3NjYyNTI2MTIkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjYyNTI3NjckajMkbDAkaDA.