William N. "Bill" Chilton, age 84, passed away Thursday March 1, 2012 with his family by his side in Kalispell, MT. Bill was born April 1, 1927 in Rugby, North Dakota, and was raised in Towner North Dakota. He attended Towner High School until he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1945. He served his tour and was recalled again to assist with the Korean Conflict in 1950. He married Barbara Crout in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, on January 2, 1953. Bill was hired by the Flathead National Forest Service in 1947 and spent his early years at Shafer Ranger Station. He continued working for the Forest Service for 37 years before retiring in 1985. But he didn't retire, he continued to work for the DNRC and Flathead County until a few month of his passing. Bill was a Red Cross First Aid Instructor to many Forest Service Employees and local loggers. He had been leader of Boy Scout Troop #33. Bill had served as Chairman of the Flathead Government Employees Credit Union and was a committee member of the Flathead Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. Bill enjoyed wood carving and was a member of the High Country Carvers. He and Barbara enjoyed traveling to Australia and New Zealand, and wintering in Arizona. Bill was an avid reader and story teller of "the good old days". Bill was preceded in death by his parents William and Anne Chilton and an infant son, John. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Barbara; son Jim Chilton of Kalispell; daughter Carol Ann Chilton also of Kalispell. Sister in law JoAnne and husband Larry Suelzle of Lacy, WA; Sister in law Betty Jo Pflaster of Aurora, CO; nephews and nieces in California, Washington, and Minnesota and special pets Ice and Bing.
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