Bill 'Billie' Elvin Morton, 90
Billie Elvin Morton, 90, passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 9, 2017, at his home of 40 years near Dog Canyon in New Mexico.
He was born in Kalispell on May 27, 1927, to Paul C. and Mattie Fox Morton. He was the third of six children who grew up on the family farm in the community of Holt on the Flathead River.
Bill graduated from Flathead County High School in 1945. He married Audrey Marken on Sept. 16, 1950, and they were married for 52 years. Bill and Audrey had three girls, Natalie, Nanette and Laurie Ann. As a family they enjoyed camping, water skiing behind the boat Bill built, traveling and flying. Their daughters were very fortunate to have parents who made them their first priority in everything.
Bill was loved and respected by everyone who knew him, as evidenced by the more than 120 cards, flowers and balloons he received for his recent 90th birthday. He had a loving and generous heart and never missed an opportunity to help others. He could fix or make anything. He was a pillar of every faith community he ever belonged to, both because of his personal faith in the Lord and his willingness to invest his time and talents. He always had time for young people. At his past birthday, many nieces and nephews shared memories of times in their young lives when he was a teacher and a mentor to them. At Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kalispell he was active with the youth group, chaperoning them on hikes and other outdoor activities, and he coached an undefeated church basketball team one season. He made a surfboard so his very young daughters could get their first taste of water sports.
Bill’s logging career moved the family first to Missoula in 1966, and then to Alamogordo, New Mexico, in 1971. There, he introduced cable logging to the area. He retired in 1992 from the position of woods manager for White Sands Forest Products in Alamogordo.
In 2005, Bill again fell in love, this time with Marjorie Crawford, and they were married on May 28, 2005. They enjoyed 12 years of marriage, “RV’ing,” “huckleberrying” in Montana during the summers, fishing and engaging together in church activities.
Bill was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Laurie Ann, on Feb. 28, 1972; his first wife, Audrey, on Sept. 19, 2002; and his oldest sister, Betty Graber.
He is survived by his wife Marjorie, at the family home; his daughters Natalie Morton of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Nanette Morton of Albuquerque, New Mexico; his beloved granddaughter Nicole Osborn, her husband Jeb and their children Wiatt, Ellora, Emelia and Kenny Osborn of Albuquerque; his surviving siblings and their spouses, Melva Brandewie and Dee (LaVera) Morton, both of Bigfork, Don (Caroline) Morton of Polson, and Pat (Charlie) Phillips of Kalispell; brother-in law Allen Darling of Columbia Falls; and numerous nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. In addition, Bill is survived by his stepchildren, Peter Canfield of Alamogordo, Carol Ann Canfield of Connecticut, Tim Canfield of New Orleans, Jim (Fran) Crawford of Hoodsport, Washington, and numerous stepgrandchildren and great-stepgrandchildren.
There was a memorial service on June 15, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Alamogordo. Pastor Bob Nilsen will officiate at a graveside service and interment at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery in Kalispell. Following the service, all are invited to a coffee at Northridge Lutheran Church, 323 Northridge Drive, in Kalispell.
The family has entrusted the care of their loved one to Alamogordo Funeral Home in Alamogordo.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials for the Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp. Memorials may be sent to Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1212 Washington Ave., Alamogordo, NM 88310, with Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp in the memo.