William Stockson "Bill" Comstock

William (Bill) Stockson Comstock, 88, a generous and loving husband and father, passed away February 1, 2018 at his son’s home in Missoula. He was born January 15, 1930 in Chicago, the youngest child of Wilbur and Helen. He excelled in sports, academics and social life in high school and attended the University of Wisconsin on a journalism scholarship. While there he began his life long relationship with his brothers in the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. He married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Pearson, on February 2, 1952. Following his military service in the Korean Conflict the couple raised their family in Milwaukee and the Chicago area while he pursued his career in journalism, public relations and graphic arts.

Mr. Comstock was a man with a wide range of interests and knowledge. While he had a quiet and unassuming confidence, he was passionate about everything he did. He was an expert bridge player and a low handicap golfer. A natural athlete, he could do back flips off the swimming raft when he was 75. His great love of family tradition inspired extensive work in genealogy and photographic documentation of his family’s history. As a life long outdoorsman, naturalist and fisherman he loved the forests, lakes, hills, and rivers of the upper midwest.

Bill was an independent and highly original thinker motivated by a creative and artistic sensibility. Whether it was photography, printing, woodworking, construction or landscaping he approached everything he did with a boldness of enterprise. He was a designer and builder of many projects - he could build anything he set his mind to build - he was always building! One of his great legacies is the family’s cabin that he and his father designed and built on a remote lake in the northwoods of Wisconsin.

He is preceded in death by his wife, son in-law James Baker, parents and sister. Survivors include his son William, Jr. (Alice), daughters Judy Baker and Wendy (Tim), a brother and his loyal canine companion Minnie. His loving grandchildren Kristen, Aven and Jeanette Comstock, Will and Sam (Ashley) Baker, and Andreas and Elise Ochoa will miss him dearly.

While in Korea in 1953 Lt. Comstock inscribed a silver cup for his infant son. The words inscribed there tell us how he tried to live and continue to inspire to all who loved him:

“Your cup will always be full if you keep: - an open mind
- a strong body
- a pure heart”

A funeral service will be held on Friday, Feb. 16 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier with a reception to follow.