Woodrow Ameline

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Woodrow W. "Woody" Ameline, Jr., our beloved husband, Dad, Papa, brother, uncle and friend, was called home on March 16, 2023. He suffered from a debilitating disease, myasthenia gravis, which was directly caused by exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.



Services will be held on one of Woody's favorite holidays, April 1st aka April Fool's Day, at the Frontier Funeral Home (formerly Gorder-Jensen) at 11am. Following burial at the cemetery, a luncheon will be served at the Stage Stop Inn.



Woody was born in Choteau, MT on March 29, 1945 to parents Woodrow Ameline, Sr and Isabel Carrier Ameline. He attended Choteau schools and enlisted in the Army in September 1966. This took him to Vietnam where he served as a "gunner" on a 175 Howitzer. During his time there he received several awards including the National Defense Service medal, Vietnam Campaign medal, Vietnam Service medal, and overseas service bar. He also received a sharp-shooter badge for his work with an M-14 rifle. He was honorably discharged in September 1968 as a Corporal.



After discharge, he returned to Choteau where he met the love of his life, Julie. They married in Denton, MT on February 1, 1969. They spent most of their married life in Choteau with a few moves early on to Kalispell and Lewiston, ID. Along the way they welcomed their three children, Leroy, Sharman and Aimee.



Woody had several jobs throughout his life. He was a rough neck in the oil fields all over Montana and surrounding states. While working for Jim Wilkerson, he became a talented carpenter. He used these skills through the rest of his life. He always had projects going and he helped his son-in-law build Aimee's dental office. He also did some stints at Twin City Foods in Lewiston, ID and Richem Construction. Later in life, he joined the Teton County Road Department and retired in 2010.



Woody was an avid storyteller spending countless hours around the table with a cup of coffee (or a can of beer prior to 1988) chewing the fat, telling stories about the old days. Woody could light up a room with his infectious smile and sparkling eyes. He was a proud member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Woody was a great dad to his three children and was always very proud of each of them and was not shy telling anyone who would listen what great things they were up to. He was also a loving Papa to his three grandkids. Until his disability slowed him down, he was always there to show support in all that they participated in.



Woody is survived by his wife of 54 years, Julie of Choteau; son Leroy Ameline, daughters Sharman Ameline and Aimee Ameline and son-in-law Mike Platt all of Great Falls; grandchildren Ashton, Isabel and Ayden Platt of Great Falls; siblings Sandy (Ron) Lindgren, Linda (Jack) O'Loughlin and Rudy (Diane) Ameline all of Choteau; step siblings Ronald, Randy (Karen) and Perri (Joyce) Lindgren, Lynn Brewster and Shirley (Rich) VandenBos; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.



Woody was preceded in death by his dad Woodrow Ameline, Sr., mom Isabel Carrier Ameline, stepmom Ethel "Red" Ameline, sister Ardith Bryant, brother-in-law Bob Bryant and special cousin Roger Hood.