Viljo "Bill" Kangas

BILLINGS/MALTA-Viljo "Bill" Kangas, 97, died of natural causes on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at Saint John's Lutheran Home in Billings, MT.

Cremation has taken place. Memorial service will be held at the Kirkwood Funeral Home in Malta on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Interment of his cremated remains will follow at the Malta Cemetery with Military Honors. Condolences for the family may be left at http://www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.

Bill Kangas was born on December 4, 1917 to Kalle and Ida Kangas (immigrants from Finland) in Stockett, Montana. When Bill was young, the family moved to south of Hinsdale where they homesteaded. Bill graduated from high school in McGrew, Nebraska. He served in the Army Air Corp from March, 1942 until December, 1945 as a mechanic on the B-29's.

On October 1, 1942 he married Frances Licht in Las Vegas. When he got out of the service he farmed in the South Wagner community raising cattle, wheat and alfalfa hay. They sold the farm in 1971. He then went to work for Malta Auto, Equity Co-op, and Phillips County mosquito district and road department. Although he retired in 1982, he continued to farm for Max Cederberg south of Malta until he sold the farm. He was always a farmer at heart! Bill was a very kind man who would help anyone. In 2008 he moved to Billings to be closer to his daughters and lived at Saint John's Lutheran Home.

Bill is survived by his children: Sharon (Mike) Passwater of Virginia Beach, VA; Judy (Larry) Young of Big Timber, MT and Karen (Mike) Sims of Billings, MT. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren, his sister Ellen Korsbeck of Malta; sister in laws Doris Sjostrom, Lila Licht, and Belle Licht all of Malta and brother in law Clete Licht of Saint Ignatius, MT along with numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Frances in 2004, his parents, his sister Veino Foster and brothers Walter and Wayne.