Search Archived Marriage Records
W.L. Bill Holter
Wednesday, March 16th 2005
The owner of KLTZ/Mix-93 and former dedicated Glasgow community leader, W.L. Bill Holter, has died. He was 81. He passed away peacefully at Lake View Care Center in Bigfork, MT, on Tuesday, March 15, 2005, due to complications of Parkinson's disease.
Holter was well-known in the radio industry across the state, having also owned stations in Helena, Malta, Missoula, Livingston and Great Falls. He was also a respected leader in politics as Chairman of the State Republican party and Montana delegate to the national conventions in 1968 and 1972.
Bill was the 2002 Inductee into the Montana Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was honored for improving the quality of radio and involving stations in their communities. His radio stations were named Station of the Year seven by the MBA seven times in his lifetime. His Hall of Fame plaque depicts Bill with microphone in hand, striding in step with Ronald Reagan during a live remote interview. This took place while Bill was the original reporter and emcee of the Western National Governors conference at West Yellowstone in 1967. Over his career, Bill also interviewed Presidents Nixon, Bush and Eisenhower.
Bill was a man of action: a journalist, a statesman, gentleman, World War II veteran, pilot, patriot and most of all, a devoted father, husband and grandfather.
He is survived by his wife Nancy of Bigfork and Sun City, AZ; their children Lynn (Mike) Redpath of Great Falls, Jann (Craig) Lambert of Livingston, Ross (Janet) Holter of Kalispell and Todd Holter of Los Angeles. Also, 6 grandchildren: Krista Pyron (Dave) of Missoula, Van Redpath of Missoula, Carl Berntsen and Casey Berntsen of Livingston, and Mack Holter and Dillon Holter of Kalispell. He is also survived by his brother Warren (Maggie) Holter of Cincinnatti and Phoenix, nieces and nephews, numerous Holter and Rasmussen cousins across the country and many friends around the world.
Throughout his professional life, Bill was active in the Montana Broadcasters Association, Glasgow Jaycees and Kiwanis, Rotary, the Elks, and was one of the only Montanans to serve on the National Board of Governors of American Red Cross. In 1988, he was awarded the Red Cross's prestigious Clara Barton Medal for meritorious volunteer leadership. He was an active Shriner for more than 25 years and served a Potentate of Algeria Temple in 1981-82.
Bill was born in Hibbing, Minnesota, on July 14, 1923, in the "Iron Range, " to Clarence Holter and Anna Rasmussen Holter, second generation Norwegian and Danish immigrants. Clarence, an iron ore miner, was a World War I veteran who survived gunshot wounds by the Germans in the Argonne and was awarded a Purple Heart. Bill was always very proud of this and proud to be an American.
He had an active Minnesota childhood, playing hockey, swimming, fishing and playing the hardest tunes as the lead bugler in the youth corps, according to his younger brother Warren, who was a talented drummer in the corps. Through his teens, Bill was drawn toward debate and theatre and held many lead roles in school plays.
In 1948, he married a beautiful blonde Iron Range girl, Nancy Ann Stolpe, from Chisholm, who shared Bill's love of fun, travel, music and dancing. By 1950, Bill had graduated from Navy flight school, served as a Marine flight instructor and Corsair pilot in World War II, and worked as a broadcast reporter for the CBS Bureau in Paris, France. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota in the fledgling field called Broadcast Journalism, while working for KSTP radio in St. Paul. He worked at WFMG in Hibbing, and advanced his career at KEYZ in Williston, North Dakota, where he also starred in community theatre.
By the time Bill and Nancy had four children, they settled in Glasgow where Bill was one of the co-founders of KLTZ and operated the station hands-on until 1969, when he moved to Great Falls. Eventually, he owned several stations across the state which he supervised flying his private plane over thousands of Montana miles. Flying continued to be a beloved hobby, especially in his twin-engine Beech Baron.
Throughout his career, Holter was a leader and proud to call himself a self-made man. Confident, strong, a tremendous orator and patriot, he presented speeches devoted to national pride and free enterprise. For over a decade he devoted Memorial Day to visiting his parents' grave sites, in Bigfork, where he also wished to be laid to rest.
A dedicated community leader for 40 years, he served as Mayor and Chamber of Commerce president in Glasgow and fought to keep the Air Force Base open in the 1960's as chair of the Save the Base committee. He was promotion chairman of the Diamond Jubilee 75th birthday of statehood celebrations in 1964. Bill dreamt up hundreds of promotions on KLTZ, many that are still in existence today. He once rode a VW bug down Main Street and rode a horse into the Oasis Bar.
In the 1970's, Bill was drawn to the Flathead Lake cherry country. He bought a summer orchard near Yellow Bay with 700 trees, ran the harvest every summer with help from the family, and enjoyed doing most of the pruning and maintenance himself. Later, they moved to a smaller orchard. Bill loved the grand vista of Montana and the dark earth of its valleys. He loved boating on Fort Peck Lake and Flathead and taking the Missouri River Cruise from Fort Benton. He loved the contrasts of Montana, the new whiteness of winter, and the budding of the trees. He often said he was "a Montanan who happened to be born in Minnesota." Ever the promoter, he had found his niche in the radio business with its news and advertising excitement. Bill believed a radio station lived with the pulse of the community, a standard that KLTZ/KLAN holds to this day.
Bill suffered Parkinson's disease for over a decade. Since October, 2000, he resided at Lake View Car Center, where he loved and appreciated the staff and their caring ways. Bill kept good spirits through his later difficult years and had a connection with everyone.
To the end, he enjoyed his friends and family. Bill was especially fond and proud of his 6 grandchildren, who loved Grampa Bill with all their hearts.
There will be a service held to celebrate Bill's life at the Little Brown Church in Bigfork, on April 9th, at 1 p.m. He will be accorded military and Masonic honors at a grave side ceremony following. Burial will be there at Lone Pine Cemetery. The family suggests any memorials in Bill's honor be made to his favorite causes, the Shrine Club, American Red Cross, the Parkinson's Disease Support Center at 500 15th Ave. South, Great Falls, or to the Lake View Care Center residents foundation.
Arrangements are under the care of Bigfork Funeral Home.
Lucien Bellanger
Wednesday, March 16th 2005
NAME: Lucien Bellanger Age: 80
DATELINE: Glasgow, Montana
DATE OF DEATH: Tuesday – March 15, 2005
CAUSE OF DEATH: Natural Causes
PLACE OF DEATH: Nemont Manor in Glasgow, Montana
SERVICE: Friday – March 18, 2005 at 11:00 A.M.
PLACE OF SERVICE: First Congregational Church in Glasgow, Montana
OFFICIATING: Rev. Robert Canen (grandson-in-law)
INTERMENT: Scobey Cemetery in Scobey, Montana
MORTUARY IN CHARGE: Bell Mortuary of Glasgow, MT
BORN: November 30, 1924 in Scobey, MT
PARENTS: Adrien Bellanger and Albertiss (Taucauet) Bellanger
He was raised on the family homestead near Scobey, MT. Lucien worked for the Fuhrman’s for many years. He enjoyed fishing, horses, anything to do with agriculture. In his later years he worked at Johnnie’s Café, the Cottonwood, and as maintenance man at Nemont Manor.
On April 29, 2000 Lucien married Helen Meyer in Glasgow. He has lived in the Glasgow area since the 1970’s. He especially enjoyed visiting with friends.
SURVIVORS:
Wife: Helen Bellanger of Glasgow, MT
Step-Sons: Mike Cole of Toston, MT
Dewayne and Barb Cole of Stanley, MT
Step-Daughters: Pat Lester and Dale of Jay, Oklahoma
Colleen and Rick Thompson of Glasgow, MT
Chris Cavasos of Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sister: Marcelle Mueller of Scobey, MT
Brother: Albert Bellanger of Great Falls, MT
13 grandchildren
13 great grandchildren
Numerous nieces and nephews
Preceded in death by step-sons Jim and Jerry Cole, and a sister Susie.
Lucien Bellanger
Wednesday, March 16th 2005
NAME: Lucien Bellanger Age: 80
DATELINE: Glasgow, Montana
DATE OF DEATH: Tuesday – March 15, 2005
CAUSE OF DEATH: Natural Causes
PLACE OF DEATH: Nemont Manor in Glasgow, Montana
SERVICE: Friday – March 18, 2005 at 11:00 A.M.
PLACE OF SERVICE: First Congregational Church in Glasgow, Montana
OFFICIATING: Rev. Robert Canen (grandson-in-law)
INTERMENT: Scobey Cemetery in Scobey, Montana
MORTUARY IN CHARGE: Bell Mortuary of Glasgow, MT
BORN: November 30, 1924 in Scobey, MT
PARENTS: Adrien Bellanger and Albertiss (Taucauet) Bellanger
He was raised on the family homestead near Scobey, MT. Lucien worked for the Fuhrman’s for many years. He enjoyed fishing, horses, anything to do with agriculture. In his later years he worked at Johnnie’s Café, the Cottonwood, and as maintenance man at Nemont Manor.
On April 29, 2000 Lucien married Helen Meyer in Glasgow. He has lived in the Glasgow area since the 1970’s. He especially enjoyed visiting with friends.
SURVIVORS:
Wife: Helen Bellanger of Glasgow, MT
Step-Sons: Mike Cole of Toston, MT
Dewayne and Barb Cole of Stanley, MT
Step-Daughters: Pat Lester and Dale of Jay, Oklahoma
Colleen and Rick Thompson of Glasgow, MT
Chris Cavasos of Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sister: Marcelle Mueller of Scobey, MT
Brother: Albert Bellanger of Great Falls, MT
13 grandchildren
13 great grandchildren
Numerous nieces and nephews
Preceded in death by step-sons Jim and Jerry Cole, and a sister Susie.
Robert L. Callahan
Saturday, March 12th 2005
NAME: Robert L. Callahan AGE: 83
DATELINE: Glasgow, Montana
DATE OF DEATH: Friday March 11, 2005
PLACE OF DEATH: Valley View Nursing Home in Glasgow, MT
CAUSE OF DEATH : Complications of Parkinson‚s Disease
SERVICE: Monday ˆ March 14, 2005 at 2:00 P.M.
PLACE OF SERVICE: Bell Chapel in Glasgow, MT
INTERMENT: Highland Cemetery in Glasgow, MT
BELL MORTUARY in charge of arrangements.
Robert L. Callahan passed away on Friday, March 11, 2005. He was born to Sherman and Amy (Scott) Callahan on September 19, 1921 in Williston, North Dakota. They moved to Minot, North Dakota where he attended school. He also attended the Ford Training School in Moorhead, MN. In 1941, Bob joined the U.S. Navy where he served on the tanker, Metaponi. After serving for four years, he received an honorable discharge in 1945.
Bob worked as a mechanic in several garages including: Westlie Motors in Minot, Stockman Motors in Williston, and Archie Cochrane Motors in Billings.
On April I, 1960, he and his partner, Joseph Svien, started Glasgow Body and Alignment in the old Magruder garage, later moving their business to the old Gordon's warehouse, where Dale Plumbing is now located. In 1971 they opened their new business, The Auto Safety Center, which they operated until 1977 when they sold the business and retired. In 1979, Bob opened and operated the Champion Auto Store in Glasgow until he sold the business and retired once more.
Bob was a member of the Elks for many years and was a past member of the American Legion. He loved traveling, playing golf, and spending time with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, of 57 years and his two sons; Larry and his wife Nancy of Dickinson, ND, and Bruce and his wife Kathy of Langley, WA. He is also survived by five grandchildren; Tessa (Callahan) Carney and her husband Jason, Brian Callahan and his wife Holly, Jennifer (Callahan) Anderson and her husband Jeremy, Christopher Callahan, and Brandon Callahan, as well as his three great-grandchildren; Andie, Fabian, and Franchesca. Bob loved children, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were very special to him. He is also survived by one brother, Howard (Buzz) of Fargo, ND. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Clayton, and a sister, Helen.
