William David "Bill" Shontz

William "Bill" David Shontz, our dear father, husband, grandfather, uncle, and friend, left this world peacefully and quietly on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016, at the well-earned age of 84.

He was born in Correctionville, Iowa, on July 14, 1932, to William Erle Shontz and Helen Katherine Shontz (Anglum). After Graduating from C'ville High School, Bill went on to receive a BS in Education from Iowa State University. In 1954 he married Kay L. Schumacher, and entered the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant the same year. Bill was very proud of his active duty as a pilot with multi-engine certification, serving from 1954-1957. He was released from the Air Force Reserves in 1970 with the rank of Captain. After receiving an MS in Industrial Psychology from ISU in 1959, Bill worked for both the American Institute for Research, and for McDonnell Aircraft doing Human Factors research. While in California, Bill and Kay had three sons: David, Brian, and Michael. After receiving his PhD in Experimental Psychology from ISU in 1967, the family moved to Minneapolis where Bill did experimental research in visual performance at Honeywell. In 1971, he made a trip to Bozeman, and was immediately hooked. Bill accepted a position as an assistant professor in the Psychology Department of Montana State University, and the family moved to Bozeman. In 1979, he became an associate professor and Department Head of Psychology, ultimately moving to the Department of Industrial Management and Engineering. After getting divorced in 1984, Bill remained in Bozeman, and was blessed to meet Barbara J. Blakely, who was the love of his life for the next 28 and a half years. Having had his fill of academics, he accepted a job with Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle, where he and Barb lived and worked from 1988 to 2001. His work there centered around cockpit design research, and he received an award from Boeing for developing a cockpit safety feature referred to as an "automated response to multiple faults." Bill and Barb entered full retirement in 2001, returning to Bozeman to be close to family and friends. Bill kept in shape all his life, which helped him recover quickly from heart surgery at the young age of 80.

Horseback riding, snowshoeing, and hiking were some of the ways he enjoyed Montana's beauty. He eagerly helped friends with haying and other farm/ranch work, and never shirked a tough job. He set the bar high for himself, his students, and those around him. He loved his family and friends, and was always there when you needed him.

He is survived by his loving wife Barbara J. Shontz (Blakely), his sons: David, of Spring, Texas: wife Priscilla (Klob), grand-daughters Laura and Sophia; son Brian of South Jordan, Utah, wife Allison (Pray), grandson Benjamin, and son Michael of Bozeman.

Memorial services will be held Friday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. at Dokken-Nelson.

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken Nelson Funeral Service www.dokkennelson.com