William Simonsen

William Roland Simonsen, 71, died Aug. 15, 2020, in Kalispell.

He was internationally known and respected as a journalist, photographer and broadcaster. His work appeared in magazines, newspapers, wire services, and on radio and television networks. His stories are translated into eight languages and circulated worldwide. He served as a trustee and later as chairman of the Swan River School board for a decade helping to begin its expansion program. He served on Flathead County Park Board for eight years. While on that board he helped develop several new parks and led the way in developing the network of bike paths in the county. He often said his work on parks was his favorite, most challenging, and worst paying job because he was always a volunteer. He also served for a time on Flathead County special education board, as well as other ad hoc Committees in the area. His initial writing successes were articles for student newspapers while in junior high and high school. His stories and poetry were published in national magazines during the 1970s. Then he was editor of a recently re-established weekly newspaper in Montana. Following that, he worked as a news director of a commercial radio station and correspondent for the CBS radio network. He worked as a correspondent for the Missoulian and Great Falls Tribune newspaper, and Associated Press for several years. Then he worked as a reporter and photographer for a small local weekly newspaper so he could stay in the area while his children attended high school. He then worked as a newsman an editor for Associated Press in Wyoming and Colorado.

He then worked as a reporter in the Puget Sound area for a time. He won enough state, regional and national awards to fill a large wall in his office. When the wall was full he claimed he was tired of watching the awards gather dust, so he packed everything into boxes and put them all in storage. He spent his last years writing fiction and political commentary. He spent three decades investing in, and managing real estate in Montana, Washington and the Midwest.

William was born Oct. 26 1948, in Waterloo, Iowa, where he attended public school. While still in high school, he won national championships showing his families American Saddlebred horses. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 1972. He claimed to have earned degrees in skiing and bicycle racing in addition to his three academic degrees. He summitted 23, 14,000 feet peaks in Colorado, one while riding a bicycle. He made many rock climbing ascents of the big wall in Boulder and Yosemite. He and his wife moved to Swan Lake in 1976 where they lived until moving into the house he built for his family in the Jewel Basin area in the early 1980s.

He is survived by his wife Susan, two children, Sybren Spensley of Pittsford, Vermont, and Christiaan Simonsen of Fort Drum, New York, and their spouses and children.

No memorial services have been scheduled. Interment will take place in Swan Lake.

Friends and family are encouraged to visit our website at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave letters of condolences. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.