William F. Watt

William F. (Bill) Watt, 91, died Wednesday, Oct. 3 at a Libby hospital.

He was born in Scobey, Mont. on May 15, 1916 to Albert H. Watt and Bertha I. (Johnson) Watt and was raised and educated in eastern Montana.

He enlisted in the U. S. Navy, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II.

Following his honorable discharge, he returned to eastern Montana.

He married Audrey Miller on Sept. 25, 1949 in Glendive. They came to Libby in 1951.

He and his family had later lived in various locations in the western U.S. while he worked in dam and road construction for many years.

He worked mainly for Morrison-Knudson Construction and Peter Kewitt Construction.

The family again came back to Libby in 1968 to reside while he worked in construction overseas, working in Australia, Pakistan, Vietnam and the Ivory Coast of Africa.

He retired in the mid-1970s. His wife Audrey preceded him in death in 1998.

During his retirement years, he remained active in veterans affairs as a member of American Legion Post 97 and as a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1548.

He served for many years with the post honor guard providing color guard for many public events and honors for military funerals.

Bill had also been a long-time member of the Operating Engineers Union.

Surviving him are his children: Willis (Bill) Watt and his wife Verna of Libby, Robert Watt of Butte, and Bud Watt and his wife Darla of Polson, Connie Busby and her husband Ellery of West Helena, Ark., Gerry Abbott and spouse Sidney of West Paris, Maine, and Sharon Hale and husband Cal of Cunningham, Tenn.; a brother Joe Watt of Republic, Wash.; 21 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel. Interment services with military honors will follow at the City of Libby Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1-8 p.m. on Sunday.