William Gibson

William Roy Gibson, 97, of Billings, passed away on April 7, 2013 from congestive heart failure. Bill was born on February 19, 1916 in Edmond, Wisconsin to Roy William and Martha Francis Hunt Gibson. He was the fourth of five siblings, three older sisters and one younger brother. His father, together with his father, was involved in the Real Estate profession in Eau Claire, Wisconsin prior to settling on a dairy farm where Bill spent the best fourteen years of his childhood. The family moved to Gary and Hobart, Indiana where Bill graduated from Hobart High School. Shortly thereafter he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp and saw three months of service fighting “blister rust” at Bovill, Idaho and six months at Topango Canyon, California where he served as Secretary in the Forest Service office. After returning to Hobart, he and a friend decided to “Go West” traveling in a 1926 Model T Ford touring sedan. They stopped at Wolf Point working in the harvest fields to replenish their financial resources. They continued their journey and Bill ended up at his uncle's place, Bart Thomas and family at Missoula, Montana. After enjoying several months with the Thomas family, Bill journeyed to Philipsburg, Montana to visit his uncle Maynard Hunt and family. There he met the love of his life, Arlette Irene Williams. She was sweet sixteen and the Philipsburg queen. She was an accomplished pianist and had a beautiful voice singing at high school and various community functions. Bill spent several years as a miner in Philipsburg as well as a short stint in the “Cement Gang” building the Fort Peck Dam. He returned to Chicago where he graduated from the Chicago College of Commerce in June of 1938 with a degree in accounting. After graduating, he returned to the “Last Best Place”, his beloved Montana. Bill and Arlette were married on September 23, 1939. He had a challenging career with the Anaconda Company occupying various official positions with the parent company as well as a number of subsidies. He served as District Comptroller and Vice President of Finance for the Anaconda Company before the family returned to Butte after serving two years for the Company in Tucson, Arizona. In the early forties, he and his family moved to Columbus, Montana where Bill was employed as Chief Bookkeeper for the Anaconda Company who contracted with the Federal Government to develop and mine the chrome mines at the Benbow and Mouat operations. The family returned to Butte after the mines ceased operations. He retired after over thirty-seven years of service. They moved to Billings in January of 1979 when their son Mike suffered a brain aneurism which left him totally disabled until he passed away in December 1994. Bill and Arlette cared for Mike for sixteen years in Billings as their grandchildren witnessed the incredible selfless caring and devotion to their disabled son. During this time, Bill became a real estate broker specializing in the sale of ranches and mobile home parks. Bill and Arlette celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with family and friends at Holland Lake on September 23, 1999. Their grandchildren nominated their Grandmother and Grandfather for the American Red Cross and St. Vincent's Hospital Family Heroes Award. The nomination was accepted and Bill and Arlette were honored with a Heroes Award Breakfast with approximately two hundred and fifty in attendance. Bill was devoted to his family. He often stated that “this was what it is all about”. He was always there when needed. He loved spending time outdoors exploring, boating, fishing and hunting. He loved “roughing it”, (road or no road) in Montana's backcountry by horse or a chained up SUV. Bill took his last hunting trip only two years ago at one of his favorite places; a beloved cousins ranch near Philipsburg, MT. Bill is survived by two sons and their families: William Roy Gibson, Jr., (Julie), of Billings and their children Cari (Gary) Carlson of Billings and son Kristofer (Kayla), Cami (Dave) Chandler and children Morgan and Allison, Kaycee (Jason) Hodges and children Nickolas, Jessie, Emily and Kolby, Steven Douglas Gibson (Martina) of Billings, and children Jason, Andrew (Renetta) and their son Josiah, and Christopher (Katie), granddaughters Bobbi (Tim) Fortune, Debby Soapes-Rickey (Cliff) and children Asia (Christina), Kory, Noah and Tia, granddaughter Shawna Gibson and daughter Lillian. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, his beloved wife Arlette Williams Gibson, his son Ralph Edwin (Mike) Gibson, daughter Sue Carol Fortune and her daughter Mary Irene, and great-grandson Tyler James (TJ) Soapes. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the special care received by Rocky Mountain Hospice staff the past seventeen months. If desired, memorials may be made to Rocky Mountain Hospice or the American Heart Association. We will always “Love You More.” Service: Funeral services will be held at Dahl's Funeral Chapel at 10 Yellowstone Avenue, Billings, Montana on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 11:00am. Reception to follow. Interment will be held at the Philipsburg Cemetery in Philipsburg, Montana on Thursday April 18, 2013 at 1:00pm. Reception following at the Granite County Cultural Center in Phillipsburg, MT.