William T. Dawson, 84

William “Bill” T. Dawson, 84, passed away July 28, 2018, after a valiant battle with lung cancer.

Bill was born in Kalispell Nov. 8, 1933, to James, also a Kalispell native, and Sadie (Harding) Dawson. He joined siblings Louise and later Ron. Truly proud of his deep roots in the Flathead Valley, which started in 1902, the Dawsons currently stand at four generations deep and counting.

In 1954 he married his Flathead County High School sweetheart, Virgie Shoemaker, also a Kalispell native. Bill and Virgie raised three children, Michael, Monica and Tony. He joined the Army in 1955 where he worked as a surveyor and served honorably in Korea.

Strong and vibrant to the end, he was a gardener, a golfer, a fisherman, a welder, a veteran, an outdoorsman, a union man, an airplane pilot, huckleberry picker, a father, a grandfather and an exceptionally dedicated husband. Bill was truly a man of many skills. He tried anything that interested him, let nothing stand in the way of his curiosity and succeeded at most of his endeavors. He possessed a mixture of optimism and practicality. With a voice that commanded attention and announced his presence long before he could be seen, Bill had a manner that was both gruff and soft, that followed him wherever he went.

As a proud union ironworker, he worked on many projects across Montana including the aluminum plant, Libby Dam, and the “new” hospital in ‘73. Starting in the late ‘70s, he and Virgie traveled across the Western states where he worked often as a foreman or superintendent on projects from the deepest missile silos to the tallest buildings on the West Coast. He would often say he retired too soon. He loved his trade.

In his retirement he continued his welding skills for friends, bartering for golf, or for his son’s local cabinet shop. His crowning achievement came just last year when he fabricated the entire steel sub-structure for the historical replacement of the double helical spiral staircase at Many Glacier Hotel. He was honored to be selected to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony. Bill was a welcome fixture and a friend to many at the cabinet shop.

He loved to ice-fish and it was his common winter past time with his son-in-law Larry. He was also a passionate golfer and played at least once a week with his buddies, and weekly as the patriarch on the three-generation golf team at Village Greens with his son, Tony and grandson, Gabe.

After his retirement Bill crossed several bucket items off his list. A trip to Washington, D.C., fishing trips to Alaska, a hole-in-one, and his attempt to join the electronic generation. A big fan of emailing friends and family he found online, he also loved buying vehicles on eBay and then traveling across the U.S. for his “good deal.” While he was proud of his discoveries, he found no reason to replace his flip phone or update his old desktop computer. It did the job, just like many of the other things in his life that brought him simple contentment.

Part of that contentment came in the form of his garden. Tomatoes and fruit trees were aplenty, but nothing rivaled his hydrangeas. After entering his finest in the local fair, Bill was awarded several blue ribbons for first place and even a few best-in-show ribbons. He proudly displayed his check for a whopping $3 in prize money! Another surprise he dished up in his retirement was the delicious pies he would bake for family gatherings. The smile in his victory and success was a joy we will always remember as it shown clearly in all he did.

Bill is survived by his wife Virgie with whom he celebrated 64 years of marriage. Of all his enduring traits, arguably one of his finest was the uncompromising love and unwavering support he showed for Virgie. From the deep respect he showed from the earliest years, to the caregiving support he faithfully gave up to the end, we have all gained a valuable lesson from his example.

He is also survived by his brother, Ron (Bonnie); his children, Mike (Ellen), Monica Craven (Larry), and Tony (Lisa); grandchildren, Jessica and Erin, Daniel and Matthew, Ashley, Gabe and Chad; and six great-grandchildren. Loved by many, Bill also leaves behind his favorite nieces, nephew, and his dear golf and fishing buddies.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church. A reception will follow at the church, then a graveside service at Glacier Memorial Gardens in Kalispell.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family.