Billy Jay Norsby

MILES CITY - Billy Jay Norsby, 66, of Miles City and formerly of Valier, died of natural causes Monday at his home in Miles City.
Visitation is Monday at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City, with the family receiving friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with interment in the Elk's Section of the Custer County Cemetery.
Bill was born March 10, 1944, in Conrad, Mont., the son of Robert and Anne (Mix) Norsby. When Bill was three years old, his family bought a farm near Valier, Mont., on Lake Frances Heights. This is where Bill grew up, attended school and where he graduated from Valier High School in 1962. Bill then attended college at Moorhead State University, graduating in 1967.
Following college, he went into the Peace Corp in Malaysia, where he remained for the next 29 months. On Aug. 1, 1970, Bill married his best friend, Nancy Machart, in Moorhead, Minn. Bill taught at Glyndon-Felton High School in Minnesota for one year. Bill worked various jobs that took him and Nancy to North Dakota and eventually to work for the USDA in Great Falls. Bill and Nancy moved to Miles City in 1980 with their two children, Doug and Elizabeth, and have made their home here since. He was the Custer County ASCS Director until his first retirement in 2003. After a trip to England and Ireland, he went back to work for DEAP in Miles City and then was director of the Custer County Food Bank until June, 2009.
Bill was active with Miles City Youth: He started the 5- to 8-year-old girls T-Ball softball program. He coached 8- to 12-year-old girl's softball. He coached 5th and 6th grade basketball at Sacred Heart School, coached Little Guy Football and was the Little Guy football commissioner for 14 years. He was the Custer County 4-H leader in Rocketry. He was active in Boy Scouts for many years.
Bill loved to travel, canoe, play computer games and barbecue. He loved everything about being a member of the Elks, he worked his way through the chairs of the local Lodge to serve two terms as Exalted Ruler; was an Elks District Deputy and was elected Montana State Elks President in 2008. He was Secretary of Local Lodge 537 for fourteen years. He was currently the Elks' CLEMS coordinator for Montana and North Dakota. He enjoyed his friendships and organizing 'doings' for the Sons of Norway of Miles City. He was also a member of the Boy Scouts' Order of the Arrow.
Bill is survived by his wife, Nancy Norsby of Miles City; a son, Douglas (Sheila) Norsby of Gardner, Kan.; a daughter, Elizabeth (Nicholas) Filler of Missoula; and two grandsons, Zachary James Norsby and Victor John Filler.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a nephew, Timothy Kronebusch.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to: Elks Youth Activities Lodge 537, Miles City Children's Library, Miles City Boys Scouts or the charity of one's choice.
Condolences may be posted online at www.stevensonandsons.com and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries.