George Wartnow Sr.

George Lee Wartnow Sr., 80, passed away peacefully in his sleep April 25, his 80th birthday.

George was born the sixth child of eight to John and Julia Wartnow in Anaconda. At the age of four he moved with his family to Whitefish where he and his father and brothers cleared trees and homesteaded their property.

George attended Whitefish High School. After graduating he enlisted in the Navy as a Boatswain’s Mate on the USS Frontier and was honorably discharged after four years of service.

After his return from the service, George spent a short time working for Rocky Mountain Lumber. It was during this time that he met and married Marlene Kirkedahl, had three children and later divorced.

While working at the lumber company he had a visit from Roy Herrmann and Joe Eason who convinced him to take a 10 cent and hour pay cut to work on the extra board for the Whitefish Police Department. In 1978 George married Billie Norby and happily extended his family with four more children. Being a police officer was something George thoroughly enjoyed. He retired from the department after approximately 26 years, the last four as Chief of Police.

After retirement George worked several jobs such as maintenance for the City of Whitefish and driving for Hamilton Construction before fully retiring from Hanson Trucking in 1998.

George and Billie’s house was always packed full of family every holiday. He was a wonderful story teller and he loved fishing, camping, horse cutting, cooking and tinkering in his shop. In his early years he would enjoy long trips in the Bob Marshall Wilderness with his good friend Roy Duff as well as hunting and fishing expeditions with Louis Webster, Ducky Lamb and his sons George Jr. and Scott.

George is preceded in death by his parents, John and Julia; his sisters, Margie, Alice and Ruthie; brothers, John, Bobby and JP; as well as two grandsons, Travis and Curtis.

He is survived by his loving wife, Billie; sister, Helen; sister-in-law, Pat; his children, George Jr., Julie, Marie, Cheryl, Steve, Shane, and Scott and their spouses; 14 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Services for George will be held at Austin Funeral Home on Thursday May 2 at 2 p.m. A celebration for life will be held at the Whitefish VFW after the services.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Montana Veterans Home for their wonderful care and support in our trying times.

You are invited to go to www.austinfh.com to offer condolences, share memories and view Georges tribute wall.