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William D. Sommerville, affectionately known as Butch, passed away on September 14, 2023, at the age of 82 in Billings, Montana. Born on February 22, 1941, in Aberdeen, Washington, Butch lived a life filled with love, laughter, and a deep commitment to his family and community.
Butch graduated from Greybull, Wyoming in 1961 and married Jolynn Phillips in 1963. They had been married for 60 years and were blessed with two children, Lisa and Billy. Butch worked for Marathon Oil Company for 36 years before retiring in 1999. He took pride in his work and transferred with the company to Salsbury, MO, Worland, Wyoming, and ended his career back in Powell, which was always “home” to him. Butch was an avid sports fan, and loyal supporter of the Wyoming Cowboys, Denver Broncos, NY Yankees, and Powell Panthers. Butch, himself, was a great athlete and was inducted into the Wyoming Softball Hall of Fame, in 1988, and will be remembered for his stellar pitching. He was also a Golden Gloves boxer in his early years and won many awards.
Butch also enjoyed fishing, camping, and sharing a beer with his many friends. He was a member of the Elks and Eagles in Powell. If Butch wasn’t at a sporting event, you could probably find him at The Red Zone, where he didn’t know a stranger. Above all, he loved watching his grandkids play sports. He was an amazing grandpa and will be missed dearly by his 5 grandkids.
He is survived by his wife Jolynn, his son Billy (Ronnie) Sommerville, and his grandchildren Rayce (Alyssa) Kaufmann, Calynn (Jesse) Kling, Austen Sommerville, Alli “Red” Sommerville, and Brittney Howard. His great grandchildren are Breckyn and Brightyn Kaufmann and Ashlyn Kling. Butch was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Lisa Howard, and siblings James Sommerville and Janette Herman.
Butch's Memorial Service will be held on September 20, 2023, at Thompson Funeral Home in Powell, Wyoming. The service will commence at 1:00 PM. Family and all those who had the privilege of knowing Butch are invited to honor his memory and celebrate his remarkable life. A reception to follow at The Red Zone.
Should you wish to leave a memorial, you may honor Butch’s support of the military at Tunnell Towers Foundation (t2t.org).
to view Services on Facebook live please follow the following link. https://facebook.com/events/s/william-butch-sommerville-memo/1447995346055644/?mibextid=RQdjqZ
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
111 W. 3rd St. P.O. Box 807, Powell, WY 82435
Memories and condolences can be left on the obituary at the funeral home website.
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