William McGuire

William Levi McGuire William L. McGuire (89), a long time Missoula resident, died in his home January 28, 2025, with family attending. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 2, at the Fort Missoula Post Cemetery. A reception will follow.

Born in 1935 in Alberton, Montana, William was the youngest of five children of James Francis and Mary Lenora McGuire. Because of his father’s work with the State of Montana, William lived in many Montana towns–Oswego, Circle, Big Timber, Three Forks, Billings, Twin Bridges, Two Dot and Harlowton. It was while he was attending high school in Harlowton, Montana that he met and married his high school sweetheart, Carol Ann Lunceford McGuire. Over the course of 47 years of marriage, together they raised a family of six until Carol’s death from cancer, 2003. While in high school William served with the Forest Service as a fire lookout at Steamboat Mountain. Upon graduation he attended the University of California, Berkeley. While in California he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served three years at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. After his term of enlistment, he joined the Army Reserves and returned home to Montana and resided in Ronan, Polson and settled in Missoula. He served the U.S. Army Reserves for 30+ years and attained the rank of Command Sergeant Major. He was simultaneously employed at Fort Missoula as a Department of Army Civilian for 30+ years. Four of his six children and two of his grandchildren also served in the armed forces. As a father of six, William was very active in boy and girl scouting, 4-H, school and city music, theater and sports activities, particularly soccer. He also made time to actively engage in his own many and varied interests. He was an accomplished tenor and sang with the Mendelssohn Club and performed in Canada and Europe; as a stock car racer, he drove #12 and #112 almost every weekend at the Miller Creek Raceway and raced on Northwest Montana and Canadian dirt tracks. He enjoyed motorcycling, camping, traveling, building and flying model airplanes, black powder shooting and all associated activities involved with that sport–all the while continuing his education at the University of Montana. William was a licensed Ham radio operator (KD7BIG), stayed a breast of all emerging technology and even built his own 3D printer. William was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, his parents and his four siblings. He is survived by all his six children–Colleen McGuire of Kalispell, William F. McGuire and wife Jeanine of Helena, John McGuire and his wife Maureen of St. Lucie, Florida, Mary Anne McGuire of Missoula, Patrick McGuire of Missoula and Daniel McGuire of Missoula along with 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. The family suggests contributions in lieu of flowers be made to Missoula music and performing arts programs and activities of your interest.