Myrt Whitman Webb Jr., 74

Myrt Whitman Webb Jr., 74, passed away peacefully on May 23, 2017, at his home in Columbia Falls.

He was born on May 9, 1943, in Meridian, Mississippi, to Myrt and Betty (Burk) Webb Sr.

Myrt grew up in Denver and Lennox, California. He played high school varsity football for three years. He graduated from Lennox High School in Lennox in 1961. After high school, he attended college at UCLA in Los Angeles, where he enrolled in ROTC and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He later earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Utah.

Myrt entered the Army in 1965 as a second lieutenant and served for 27 years. He served in the Vietnam War in 1965-1966 and 1969-1970. After the war, he was:

• ROTC Instructor - San Luis Obispo, California, at Polytechnic University.

• Commander of Artillery Battery - Rhineland, Germany area

• Psyc Operations - JFK Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

• Graduate of Commander and General Staff College – Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

• National Guard advisor - St. Louis

• Executive officer, 25th Infantry Field Artillery Brigade - Scholfield Barracks

• Commander of the 1st Battalion 8th Field Artillery - Scholfield Barracks, Hawaii

• Deputy G4 Logistics I Corps - Fort Lewis, Washington

• Graduate, U.S. Army War College resident - Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

• Director of Logistics - Fort Sill, Oklahoma

• Graduate of the Field Artillery Advanced Course

• Commander of Post – Fort Chaffee, Arkansas

He retired in 1992, achieving the rank of full colonel. After the army, he worked as:

• City administrator - Colfax, Washing-ton

• City manager - Columbia Falls

• Interim economic development director – Flathead County

• Interim Solid Waste District manager – Flathead County

• Interim county administrator – Flathead County

• Interim city manager – Kalispell

Myrt married Sharon Ann Wetmore in 1966 in the Methodist Church at Hawthorne, California. They were married for 45 years. In 2016, Myrt married Linda Jean Putman. Myrt was a member of the Methodist Church, the Flathead Land Trust, and the U.S. Army Historical Society. He enjoyed hiking, skiing, avalanche observation, bicycling, camping, history and politics. As a Microsoft certified engineer, he volunteered at North Valley Hospital in IT security. He was also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children.

Myrt was preceded in death by his wife Sharon Webb, and son Geoffrey Webb.

Myrt is survived by his spouse, Linda Putman, of Columbia Falls; his daughter, Cynthia Webb, of Whitefish; daughter-in-law, Shelly Webb, of Spokane; and his grandchildren, Chad Bowman of Helena, and Sabrina Webb, Forrest Webb and Gwendolyn Webb of Spokane.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at the United Methodist Church, 117 2nd Ave. West, Columbia Falls. A reception will be held afterward.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in Myrt’s memory to the Columbia Falls Methodist Church to support the gift card program for foster families.