Warren Willoughby, 65, of Vida, Montana, went home to be the Lord on Friday April 4th, 2014 at Sanford Hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Warren is survived by his wife Georgia of 29 years, children Maggie (Dohn) Ratliff , Sam(Deanne)Willoughby, Jeff (Kate) Haugen, Windle Eric Willoughby, Lana (Richard) Metcalf, Jess (Jamie) Willoughby, grandchildren Manni and Charity, Dayton and Samantha, Bechler and Hudson, Mikaila, Ty, Tina and Audrey, James, Ian and Sean, and Dahlia, who shares his birthday. He is also survived by brother Jim (Kathryn) Willoughby, and Alice (Gene) Engen as well as many nieces and nephews.
Born August 16th, 1948, he was raised on the Willoughby farm by his parents, Dayton and Ingrid, and learned to work with cattle, dairy and farming. He was always a musician, a passion that continued throughout his life. He studied music at the University of ND in Grand Forks, but teaching was not his calling so he moved to Glasgow, MT and began his career working heavy construction. This change in direction became the melody of his life for many years. He moved to Gillette, Wyoming working in the oil field and coal communities. In fall of 1973 he established Warren’s Dozer and Backhoe service. You could always see and hear him traveling the area in his baby blue “tonner” pulling the backhoe. In 1981 he returned to the Willoughby farm and assisted Dayton and Ingrid with the day-to-day operations.
January 31 of 1985 he and Georgia were married and worked together in the construction industry, farming and cattle. Through the years he sang, played banjo and guitar anytime, and anywhere, even traveling to different states to share his talents when asked. He was active in the Vida Community Church, the First Lutheran Church, and entertained the folks at Faith Home in Wolf Point playing music and using his unique blend of abilities. He continued to use the backhoe and dozer to build springs, pits and other projects in the area. He had a wide circle of friends and loved to talk. The mornings were always spent on the phone with multiple friends in the community and he always had a joke, anecdote, or opinion to share. He was a bright light and larger than life. He will be missed.
He made many friends through the months of intermittent hospital stays and Doctor visits and we are thankful for their compassionate, thorough care during his illness, and their appreciation of who he was as a person. Even in the most difficult of times staff in Wolf Point and Bismarck were remarkable.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 from 4:30 until 6:30 pm at Clayton-Stevenson Memorial Chapel, 102 Custer, Wolf Point, MT. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 am Thursday, April 10th, 2014 at First Lutheran Church, 415 Johnson St., Wolf Point, MT. Pastor Gregory Holler-Dinsmore officiating.
Service Schedule
Family and Friends Service
4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday April 9, 2014
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel
102 Custer Street
Wolf Point, Montana 59201
Funeral Service
10:00 a.m.
Thursday April 10, 2014
1st Lutheran Church
417 Johnson Street
Wolf Point, Montana 59201
Service Schedule
Family and Friends Service
4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday April 9, 2014
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel
102 Custer Street
Wolf Point, Montana 59201
Funeral Service
10:00 a.m.
Thursday April 10, 2014
1st Lutheran Church
417 Johnson Street
Wolf Point, Montana 59201
Russell Stinnett says
Georgia and Family,
An older gentleman said this me after Murial (Grammy) past away. “When we are born, we come into the world crying and surrounded by people full of joy…when we leave the world, we are full of joy surrounded by people who are crying.” I am so sorry to hear about Warren, deepest sympathy.
Russ Stinnett
CHARLOTTE kENNEDY says
To my family & friends
My Thought are with Georgia ,Jim and Alice & family. I will miss my special relative & friend,Warren.When I go back to Montana in the summertime.We always spent time together having fun.
Cousin Charlotte
Carol Neutgens says
Georgia and family,
I am so very sorry to hear of Warren’s passing. He always brightened my day with his good natured kidding. I will certainly miss that. We all will. God bless and take care.
Carol
Noreen Hohman says
Georgia and Family
My prayers go out to you. Warren will always be my very favorite customer. He will be missed
Halvor Undem says
I will never forget the summer that Warren, after finishing a semester at UND Grand Forks, came down to Viborg, SD and picked up me and my brother Joel to go to Montana and work on Dayton’s place. I think I had just gotten my SD driver’s license and we took turns driving. In some tiny town in the middle of nowhere I got pulled over by a State Trooper or a Town Cop (cannot remember) who took one look at Warren and the two young kids and said “Stay right where you are!” I am sure he thought Warren had kidnapped us or something as he went back to his patrol car and was on the radio forever. Finally he came back and gave us a ticket to fix a broken taillight in 30 days. Whenever I hear Willie and Waylon sing “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys” I always think of Warren. My condolences to Georgia, Alice, and Jim, especially, but Warren, if you can somehow read this, say Hi to Uncle Louis, will you? Remind him that he promised to come get me when my time comes, and heck, you might as well come along too. See you then.
Halvor Undem, First Cousin
Richland,WA
Eileen Damone says
Georgia and Family- so sad to hear of Warren’s passing.
Eileen Damone
Margaret Melrose Maresh says
I am so sorry to hear of Warren’s passing. We grew up and attended school together in Circle. Our mothers were close friends so we enjoyed many activities with the Willoughby family. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
Sam WIlloughby says
Thank you all for your kind comments and I wish the best for you all. Grandma, Grandpa and DAD always had the best to say of everyone and little blue is coming home with me, I spent way to many nights from Gillette to the farm listening to her pipes. Thank you all
Sam Willoughby 5016 Country View Drive Billings, MT 59105
God Bless (I miss ya DAD).