William Howard Bill Strong, Sr.

William Howard Strong, Sr., 91, of Livingston, passed away Saturday, June 21, 2014 at his home surrounded by loved ones. Visitation will be held from 4:00 7:00 P.M. at the Franzen-Davis Funeral Home (118 N 3rd St) on Friday, June 27. The Funeral Service will be held 10:30 A.M., Saturday, June 28, at The Livingston Christian Center (1400 Mount Baldy Drive) in Livingston with the Reverend Frederick Amborn III and Pastor Lyndon Kacick serving as concelebrants. Graveside committal and burial will follow the service at the Mountain View Cemetery in Livingston. Veterans Honors will be conducted by Park Post #23 American Legion and the Sergeant Tommy Ray Post #2154 V.F.W.; as well as, the National Guard Active Duty Honors Squad. Fellowship will follow the interment at the church. Memorials are preferred to: Livingston HealthCare Hospital or Livingston HealthCare Home Care and Hospice both at 504 S 13th St.; Livingston, MT 59047. William Howard Strong, Sr. was born in Livingston, Montana in 1923 to Howard and Vera (Rice) Strong. He attended Livingston Schools and Stanford University and served proudly in the European, African and Middle East Theatre of Operations during World War II. He married Mary Olive Merene, a Livingston native, on February 16, 1944 and they recently celebrated their 70th anniversary with an open house at their home. The Strongs were blessed with five children: Cheryl Garrett (Brent) of Surprise, AZ; Pennie Tague (Gary) of Bozeman, MT; Peggy Anderson (Andy) of Boise, ID; William Strong Jr. (Peggy) of Livingston, MT and David Strong (Amaya Garcia Costas) of Billings, MT. In 1946, Bill, along with Stan Bradley, took their total assets ($800 each) and started Strong and Bradley. They each were just out of the service and started by selling feed and seed and buying hides and furs. In 1956 they expanded into the machinery business, initially taking on John Deere and later adding Hesston and New Holland. Eventually they owned dealerships in Townsend, MT (with Don Walters) and Hardin, MT, (with Bud Jensen) as well. Bill managed to weave his love of flying into his business life by using his plane to travel between dealerships and cross-country to manufacturers expos. After a 24-year partnership, Stan Bradley chose to retire, due to his physical condition. From 1970 until recently, Strong and Bradley had been owned or managed by son, Bill Strong, Jr., sons-in-law, Gary Tague and George "Andy" Anderson and grandson, Matthew Strong. During his lifetime, Bill was a devoted member of the Grace United Methodist Church and served there in many leadership positions. He served as a director on the First Security Bank board in the 1970s and also on the Livingston Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. Bill was an active member of the Park County Pioneers and was a past president. Although the Strongs have lived south of Livingston on the Yellowstone River, they acquired a ranch they named "Deep End" on Deep Creek in the 1970s. Many wonderful family events took place at the main cabin at their ranch, where Bill was noted for his daily "3 mile loop" ski trek or hike. In 1995, the couple was "leading edge" in putting 320 acres of their ranch into a perpetual conservation easement. This decision was typical of the Strongs philosophy of dedication to preserving a quality of western life. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Daisy Jacquot and Betty Gillett. He and Mary have 10 grandchildren: Traci Punke of Geneva, Switzerland, Amy Silk of Napa, CA, Rochelle Nielson of Bozeman, MT, Heather Van Hee of Bozeman, MT, Matthew Strong of Livingston, MT, Lisa Baller of Bozeman, MT, Rachelle Hutchins and Travis Anderson of Boise, ID and Rebeca and Ana Strong of Billings, MT. They have 11 great-grandchildren who all adore the rich memories they have of "Great-Grampa". In addition to their five biological children, the Strongs helped raise a foster daughter, Shirley Bonebright and a Vietnamese boat refugee "son", Long Nguyen. He is also survived by his lifelong, loyal friend, Fred Shellenberg of Livingston. Arrangements are under the direction of Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory.