William E. "Bill" Glaser

William Glaser Obituary

William E. 'Bill' Glaser

William E. 'Bill' Glaser, 81, of Huntley, Montana, died March 5, 2021, from Covid complications. The third of O.R. and Phyllis Dorr Glaser's seven children, Bill spent his first 20 years in southern California, attending school and working in his father's TV and radio shop.

In the early 1960s, Bill moved to Great Falls, Montana, where he worked for Anaconda Copper. Bill returned to California in 1962, got married, had two sons, worked for several big-name communication systems businesses, and got divorced. At age 29, Bill met the love of his life, Patsy Blake Willis. They married June 8, 1970, in Las Vegas, and Bill and boys moved to Patsy's family's ranch on Indian Creek east of Billings. Most partners bring baggage to their marriages-Patsy came with four vociferous teenage children and an outspoken mother.

Bill's first job in Montana was fixing televisions, but his talents and ambitions being far greater, about 1973 he started Montana-Wyoming Systems, which specialized in school communication systems, nurse call systems, and fire alarm systems.

Bill also did the sound for some annual summer fairs and night shows in Billings, Great Falls, Baker, and Forsyth, and he and Pat became quite well acquainted with many famous entertainers, including Charley Pride. Bill also provided sound for the annual Homesteader Days in Huntley. Although Bill was careful with his money, he gave his 'wifey' expensive and sentimental gifts and was a family man who helped his family with loans, vehicles, electrical help, etc. In 1975, with the advent of grandkids, Bill and Pat's life picked up a gear! While operating a busy business out of their large ranch home, they also helped raise several grand- and great-grandkids by incorporating them into the everyday chaos.

Bill took it all in stride and, in fact, according to Pat, enjoyed it far better than his quiet life in California pre-1970. About 1975, not only was Bill's family growing but also his business. To better get around Montana and Wyoming, Bill took flying lessons from Lynch Flying Service and purchased a Cessna 150, later traded in for a Cessna 172. They weren't used strictly for business, however. For several years, while the grandkids were students of Kristy Bick's Huntley Project third grade class, Bill dropped carefully packaged raw eggs from his plane onto the football field in a NASA-inspired experiment to see what eggs survived!

Bill had a number of passions-first and foremost was Pat. Another was the grandkids. And yet another was fighting wildfires. What started as three generations of family ill-equipped with buckets of wet jeans and a few shovels slowly evolved into a properly-equipped Haley Bench Volunteer Fire Department where the family comprises the majority of the competent fire fighters. Bill served with dedication as president for several decades.

Bill was involved in all aspects of Pat's family's ranch. He wasn't a cowboy, but especially in the early years, when there was riding to do, Bill got horseback. At the brandings and chute work, Bill could be counted on to lend a hand. As a corporation board member, he was conservative and intelligent.

He brought those traits to politics as well. In Nov. 1984, 1986, and 1988, Bill was successful in his Republican bid to represent House District 98 in Helena. He lost the 1990 election, but returned to the MT Legislature as a State Senator in Jan. of 1997 and 2001. Then, termed out of the Senate, Bill won the fall elections of 2004, 2006, and 2008 as State Representative from District #44. Termed out again, Bill did not seek re-election. Serving 10 sessions in Helena in 14 years-all while running an active business at home-was more than Bill's share of civic duty! In 1998, after 25 years in business, Bill and Pat sold Montana-Wyoming Systems. Never one to be idle, Bill started East Slope, an internet business, and for about 10 years, installed and maintained internet connections in southeastern Montana.

Bill and Pat were set to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a big party in June 2020, but Covid prevented that. Later in the summer, Bill suffered several small strokes, which resulted in the onset of serious dementia. That was a situation from which there would be no cure, so it was a true blessing when, on the evening of March 5, 2021, Bill quietly departed this life at age 81.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, O.R. and Phyllis Glaser; older brother, Oscar Robert Jr. 'Bobby' Glaser; and younger sister Bonnie Glaser Hentz.

Bill is survived by his wife Patsy; sons Mark (Grace) and Mike (Susannah) Glaser; stepchildren Linda Grosskopf, Gwyn Taft, Mike (Debbie) Hammond, and Nancy (Scott) Morrison; 15 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; sisters Betty Orendorff, Beverly Thompson, and Barbara (O.D.) Wilson; brother Don (Sandy) Glaser; and numerous nieces and nephews.

No public funeral. Memorial donations may be made to Haley Bench Volunteer Fire Department, c/o Mike Hammond, 852 Indian Creek Road, Huntley, MT 59037.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Billings Gazette on Mar. 21, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for William Glaser

3 Entries

Brittany Glaser-Moore

September 28, 2022

Miss you more then you know at times like these grandpa xoxo Brittany

Bill Sparling

December 3, 2021

SPRING BLESSING

Years ago, I worked as a District Manager for a large company that manufactured commercial sound equipment. In addition to the work itself, I was afforded the privilege of working with many wonderful people in ten northwestern states.

It was in Billings, Montana that I worked with a couple of sound contractors who sold and installed sound systems in all types of venues from small country churches to large arenas. One of those contractors was, among other things, a dry-land farmer who lived northeast of downtown Billings. After discussing business, new products and upcoming seminars, my contractor invited me to follow him to his ranch to join him and his wife for supper. I gladly accepted.

It was quite a drive and all of it beautiful. My friend´s wife was a gracious country woman who had a hearty supper ready for two hungry men. It was excellent and it was abundant in every sense of the word. As we chatted through the feast, Pat explained some of the methods, joys and anxieties of dry-land farming. Dependance upon adequate rainfall is one of the major causes for that anxiety and they had not had any rainfall as yet. She explained that without adequate rain, many such farmers would not have a crop to harvest in the fall and it was a gamble that they took every year..

As we continued our small talk over some home made pie, Pat and her husband suddenly stopped talking as a distant rumble off to the west got our attention - especially Pat´s. As we continued our conversation, punctuated by occasional rumbles, a new sound was added - rain hitting the kitchen roof.

Pat excused herself and went out on the back porch, followed by her husband and me. If you have never experienced a Midwestern thunder storm, you haven´t lived! They are something to make you stand in awe of such power.

As we got out to the porch, I noticed that Pat was just standing there but with her hands raised to heaven and with tears running down her cheeks.
We didn´t say a word, to Pat or to each other. There was a silent conversation going on between Pat and God and it was not to be interrupted. I suspect it was something like, "Thank you, Lord. You have sent your blessing of rain."
As if in answer, the heavens seemed to literally explode with a brilliant flash and a heavenly explosion within a couple of seconds and an immediate deluge of rain - precious rain.

We moved away quietly and left Pat alone, arms still raised, to silently weep tears of joy and to finish her intimate conversation with the Almighty - "- - - Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields." (Job 5:10)

There would be a harvest in the fall.

That was thirty-five years ago but some things, you never forget.

William Sparling,
Sequim, Washington