William Robert "Bill" Mackin, 92
William Robert "Bill" Mackin, 92, passed away quietly at his home in Kalispell on Sunday, March 13, 2005. He was born April 25, 1912, in New Salem, N.D., to Roy Gregory and Frieda Elsie (Kunkel) Mackin.
Bill was a child of the Depression years and after the 10th grade had to quit school and take a job with the railroad in order to help ends meet for his folks and eight siblings.
In 1937 he became interested in this part of Montana and moved to the Apgar area, where he took a job as a cook for camp 9 of the Civilian Conservation Corps. It was at that time that he met and later married Dorothy Sloan of West Glacier.
After the CCC days he worked for the West Glacier Mercantile, then referred to as the Belton Mercantile. During this time he purchased some land in the Apgar area from the Apgar family, where he built his home. He later bought the Apgar Cabin Camp from them, building another home, adding two motels, several cabins and a store. He later sold to Eddie Brewster and the store was renamed Eddie's Store and is still in business today.
Along with his several community interests in the Apgar area, he helped to plan and contribute financially to the building of Saint Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls.
In 1959 the cabin camp was sold to the West Glacier Mercantile and the Village Inn motels to the federal government, and the family moved to the Evergreen area, where he built a new home and set up a six-unit greenhouse and nursery, as well as a floral design business. While there he donated his landscaping talent, along with many shrubs and flowers, to what is now Woodland Park.
He was the proud father of nine sons and one daughter, and was very proud of their accomplishments, as they were of his. One earned a doctorate in management science, another in cardiac medicine, one a degree in biology, one a licensed addictions counselor, one an inventor, one a building contractor, one a painting contractor, and one an artist who has had many exhibits in the Washington and Montana areas. His one and only daughter was referred by him always as his "Little Chickadee."
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife in 1999; a son, Jerry, in 2001; brothers, Vern, Larry and Norman; and sisters, Rose, Mildred and Doris.
He is survived by his sons, Bill and wife Lola of Spokane, Greg and wife Sally of Seattle, Richard of Helena, Ron and wife Kari of Kalispell, Robert A. "Tony" of Flagstaff, Ariz., Pat and wife Judy of Rapid City, S.D., Jeff and wife Kaylen of Snohomish, Wash., David of Missoula; and daughter, Kathy Tancre and husband Steve of Kalispell. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Rocky, Mike, Dandy, Susan, Colleen, Ricky, Marty, Bobby Jereb, Rory, Trevor, Larissa, Brydee, Jeffery, Gina, Ron, Britney, Amie, Rob, Tanner, Jordon, Savannah, Kaleb, Patrick, Katie, Melissa, Matt and Cory; as well as numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren. "He will be deeply missed by all of us."
Memorial services for William Robert "Bill" Mackin will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 19, at Johnson Mortuary Chapel with urn burial to follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 3550 Mullan Road, suite 105, Missoula, MT 59808.
Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson Mortuary & Crematory.