Douglas Norman Wilson III, 75, our beloved husband, father, papa, and friend passed away April 9, 2019, from pulmonary fibrosis.
A vigil service will be held on Friday, April 12, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. and the funeral liturgy on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. both at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.
Doug was born on January 29, 1944, to D. Norman Wilson and Stella Kenik Wilson. Doug’s greatest joy in life was his family. He and Shirley Nardinger met during their senior year of high school. They dated five years and married on June 18, 1966.
They loved each other completely for 52 years of marriage, raised three daughters and took great joy in each of their eight grandchildren. Blessed in both good times and bad, their faith in God carried them through Doug’s diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis during the last eight years.
Never was his love of family and the outdoors more apparent than the time spent camping in Glacier Park and Swan Lake. In 1995, they built a cabin at Swan Lake, joining three other cabins to form what is affectionately referred to as the family compound. Campfires, jet skiing, scotch, kayaks, the family “floatilla,” cribbage, and themed reunions created smiles, laughter and countless family memories.
Doug could often be found with his nephews and brothers-in-law building or fixing something, relaxing on a porch swing solving local and world problems and playing late night horseshoe tournaments. Shirley and Doug also had the opportunity to travel to the Caribbean, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Mexico, Hawaii, and take two very special trips to California with their children and grandchildren.
Doug enrolled in Army ROTC, graduated from the University of Montana in 1966 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and became a 3rd generation CPA. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant he was assigned to the Army Finance Center in Indianapolis, IN. After two years of active duty, he served in the Army National Guard for seven years.
The family moved back to Montana in 1969 where Doug joined Douglas Wilson and Company, Montana’s oldest CPA firm; established in 1913 by his grandfather. He followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a partner in 1976 and President of Douglas Wilson and Company in 1988.
He semi-retired in 2010, yet continued at the firm until this winter. For nearly 50 years, he thoroughly enjoyed working with clients, many of whom became friends. He felt truly blessed with great partners and staff throughout his professional career.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
