William 'Bill' Kinniburgh, 88

| June 3, 2005 1:00 AM

William "Bill" Kinniburgh, 88, "went home to be with the Lord" on Tuesday, May 31, 2005, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.

Bill was one of 12 children born to James and Leah (Stitzel) Kinniburgh in Tecumseh, Neb. At the age of 9 his father passed away and the age of 13 the family moved to Eastern Montana. While there, Bill worked at various jobs, including sheep herding, coal mining and working on Fort Peck Dam. Around 1939, the family moved to Marion in Northwest Montana where he worked for various sawmills.

Bill married Emeline Bruce on May 18, 1942, and they had two sons, Daniel and Jerry. In 1948, Bill along with his five brothers, started their own sawmill business, later changing to contract logging which Bill continued with until retiring in 1979. Emeline died in 1980 and Bill remarried Betty Annear on Sept. 18, 1981.

Through Pastor Ralph Werner's ministry, Bill accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and continued serving the Lord until his death.

Bill enjoyed softball, hunting and in later years, golfing. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Columbia Falls, and a charter member of the First Baptist of Marion, and in later years, upon moving to Kalispell, he was a member of Bethel Baptist. He was active in each church doing various ministries, including serving as a deacon and trustee.

He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Emeline; and all of his brothers and sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, of Kalispell; sons, Daniel and wife, Carol, of Marion, and Jerry and wife, Janene, of Marion; grandchildren, Jason and wife, Mary, of Hayfield, Minn., Heather, Heidi, and Scott of Kalispell; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at Bethel Baptist Church with Pastor David Pestel officiating. Burial will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held at Johnson Mortuary Chapel today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Bill's family.