William Lawrence 'Bill' Kamps, 62
William Lawrence ‘Bill’ Kamps, 62
William Lawrence “Bill” Kamps, 62, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Health Center Northwest in Kalispell, cared for and surrounded by devoted friends.
Bill was born March 19, 1949, in St. Paul, Minn., to Lawrence J. and Mildred Hardy Kamps. The family moved to Edina, Minn., where he graduated from Edina High School in 1967. Bill was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he completed many projects and earned a variety of badges that served him well in his sporting career.
He was a member of Normandale Lutheran Church, and attended St. Cloud University in St. Cloud, Minn., where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He worked as a Realtor for Edina Realty for several years.
Bill’s lifelong passion was the outdoors. His love of hunting, fishing and dog training started early in his life, following in the footsteps of his father. Together they enjoyed many hunting and fishing trips in Minnesota and around the country. That passion for the outdoors led Bill to Kalispell where he could pursue his interests.
He worked for Sportsman Ski Haus in Kalispell from December 1985 through May 2008. Bill enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love of the outdoors with his many customers and friends. During this time he wrote articles for various newspapers and magazines, including “Montana Outdoors.” Many people came to know Bill through his weekly articles titled, “Bill Says” which ran every week in the Kalispell Daily Inter Lake. He kept his readers informed of what was happening in the world of hunting and fishing and he shared details of his various outings whether in the Kalispell area or farther afield.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Kay Kamps; and an uncle, Theodore Kamps.
He is survived by his aunts, Helen Vedvic of Billings, and Alice Kamps of Minneapolis; and several cousins. He will be greatly missed by the special friends he had in Montana.
A memorial celebration in the outdoors he loved so much will be held with a date to be announced in the summer.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Bill’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Bill’s guest book, offer condolences and share memories.