Walter Leslie Stoltenberg

Walter Leslie Stoltenberg, 97, of Billings, passed away on July 10, 2012. He was born on March 1, 1915, in a sod house near the small town of Millboro, S.D., during a terrible blizzard that completely covered the house. He was the youngest of the five children of Albert and Pauline Stoltenberg. His brother Ruben, sisters Alice, Mabel and Veraa along with his parents preceded him in death. He was baptized in the Congregational Church in Millboro and confirmed at St Pauls Lutheran Church in 1938. Walter attended Blue Valley School, Millboro High School and graduated from Winner High School in Winner, S.D. While at high school in Winner he played football on a team that competed for the state championship. He found employment with area farmers, driving six horse disc plows for seven hours a day for 50 cents. He also had trap lines. Later, he worked harvesting potatoes and corn in Nebraska. He always said it was the hardest work he ever did but the pay was better than plowing. At 18 he took over the payments on his brother's trucks and got into the trucking business, hauling grain and livestock to market for area farmers and ranchers. In 1936 he married his sweetheart, Lucy Lawler. They made their home in Clearfield, S.D., where he continued his trucking business and together they ran a service station. He also was a rural mail carrier. Their three children were born while they lived in Clearfield. In 1945 he sold his businesses in Clearfield and moved his family to Keyapaha, S.D., where he and Lucy ran a grocery store.

In 1954, Walter moved the family to Columbus, Mont., where he managed the Sawyer Grocery Store. The family moved to Billings in 1956. He owned the Conoco Station on Fourth Avenue North for several years. In 1980 he retired from Northwest Auto Supply where he had worked for 19 years. After  retirement, he and Lucy enjoyed square dancing, traveling and camping. In 2004, they moved from their home on Lewis Avenue into the Westpark Village Senior Living Community. Lucy passed away in 2006 after 69 years and nine months of marriage.

Walter is survived by his children, Ron (and wife Pat) Stoltenberg of Brenham Texas, Vivian (and husband Darrell) Walker of Austin, Texas, and Jerry (and wife Sandra) Stoltenberg of Billings. He is survived by eight grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren. Walter is also survived by his sisters-in law Edna Lawler of Valentine, Neb., and Elizabeth Muth of Sioux Falls, S.D.

At his wish, cremation has taken place and a family memorial service will be held at a later date. The family wishes to thank the staff and residents of West Park Village for the care and friendship shown to Walter during his years as a resident there. They are grateful to staff of Riverstone Hospice for the care they provided during his final days.

He will be missed by his family.

Walter Stoltenberg