William Richardson

William Richardson

"Jack of all trades"

Pendroy retiree William "Wild Bill" Alan Richardson, 69, died unexpectedly from an acute medical condition on Jan. 29, 2025, at Benefis in Great Falls.

Bill was born on Oct. 13, 1955, to Robert and Pauleen (Becker) Richardson at Pullman, Washington. He grew up in Kooski, Idaho, and graduated from Clearwater Valley High School in 1974. Bill went straight into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam and Germany from 1974 to 1976. Ten years later, he joined the Army Reserve and served for four years. During that time, he was named Soldier of the Year.

In the early 1980s, he met Patricia Berlinger at a watering hole in Big Sandy, when he was working as a ranch hand for the IX Ranch. They were married on June 23, 1984, on her family's farm outside of Big Sandy. They enjoyed 40 years of marriage and raised their two children together, son Austin and daughter Sarah.

In 1993, Pat and Bill settled in Pendroy, where they made their forever home.

Bill made his career working in so many different jobs across north-central Montana that it would be impossible to list them all, but he could be described best as a jack of all trades. He drove long-haul trucks for Oakley Brothers Trucking of Fairfield and Molerway Freight Lines of Billings. He worked for RPH Irrigation and as a yardman and flagger for Frontline Ag Solutions in Choteau, retiring in January of 2024.

Bill loved to fish Montana's creeks and go deer hunting during rifle season. He and Pat heated their house with wood and he enjoyed heading to the mountains to harvest firewood for the winter.

Active as a Boy Scout volunteer, Bill earned the Wood Badge, completing an advanced national leadership course for Scouting volunteers and professionals.

Bill was quick to smile and always had good ideas for anything. He loved his dogs and cats through the years, but loved best raising his children and spending time with his grandchildren. For the past year, his grandson, Matt Heimbuck, had lived with Bill and Pat, and Matt was truly Bill's best friend and partner in crime.

Both Sarah and Austin's favorite memories of their dad come from time spent riding in his semi. Sarah will never forget traveling through the mountains near Lincoln and seeing a herd of moose. "Look at the water buffalo," she told her dad. Bill never let her forget mistaking moose for water buffalo, and sometimes, he'd look at her and say, "Water buffalo," just to make her smile. He loved recounting that story.

Austin spent his time around the truck, watching his dad change the oil, check tire pressures, clean the windshield, and through that fellowship, he discovered his career path, becoming a diesel mechanic, who is now the city man in Harlem, where he uses his schooling every day.

Bill always had a twinkle in his eye and his wife and children remember an outfit that always made them laugh: he had a pair of hot pink shorts that he would wear with over-the-calf white socks and tennis shoes. Pat was embarrassed to be seen with him, but the kids thought this outfit was "de bomb."

Bill's family and friends miss him - a friend, husband, loving father and grandfather who left them all too soon.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Doug Richardson.

He is survived by his wife of Pendroy; his son and daughter-in-law, Austin and Taylor Falkenbery Richardson and their daughters, MackLynn and Tylee, all of Harlem; and his daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law, Sarah Richardson and Levi Warehime of Choteau, and their children, Anna Heimbuck of Havre and Matthew Heimbuck of Choteau; his brother, Dave Richardson of Billings; and several nieces and nephews.

Frontier Funeral Home in Choteau is handling arrangements. Cremation has taken place and a memorial gathering will be held in Pendroy in April.