William W. Kline Jr., born on January 20, 1936, in Great Falls, MT to William and Sarah Kline, passed away peacefully at home with his beloved wife by his side on July 17, 2022.
He attended local schools. At the age of 17, he joined the Navy. He served most of his time in the military in Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan.
He started his plumbing apprenticeship at Malmstrom Air Force Base and had completed 2 years of training before entering the military. He was able to pick that up when he returned home. In 1956, he met his wife, Laural. They were married July 12, 1957. From that marriage, three sons were born, Steven Kline of Great Falls, Gary Kline of Great Falls, and Scott (Kenda) Kline of Ketchikan, Alaska. In addition to his wife and three sons, he is survived by 5 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
During his lifetime, he was employed by Pinski Brothers, Anaconda CO., Great Falls Gas Company, and Benefis Hospital. He retired in 1999. Willie was an avid woodcarver, winning numerous awards at the State Fair for his carved canes, caricatures, animals, and fish. He coached little league baseball for 9 years and helped build Northside Little League ball field. He was also an assistant Scout Leader. At one time, he belonged to the Elks Lodge, the Eagles Lodge, and Wisemen’s Club. He was involved in his sons’ hobbies, driving them around the country for wrestling matches. He was even able to attend his greatgrandkids’ football games and wrestling matches. Some of the best memories the Kline family had includes Willie and Laurie, camping alongside Holter Lake, and cruising around in their boat.
A viewing will be held on Friday, July 22, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Schnider Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel. Immediately following will be a graveside service at Highland Cemetery.
