William Robert "Bill" Guldseth

William “Bill” Robert Guldseth, 75, passed away on July 20, 2020 at his home surrounded by his loved ones. He had fought numerous health issues throughout his lifetime and most recently melanoma.

Bill was born on June 22, 1945 in Thompson Falls, Montana to Howard and Jeannette Guldseth. He had a passion for hunting, fishing, and working in the woods with his dad. Bill operated a logging truck in high school, a love that would keep him coming back for most of his working life. He also enjoyed the game of basketball, especially the rivalry between the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks and the Libby Loggers, coached by his uncle Bill Racicot. He would go on to play basketball at Western Montana College and eventually transfer to Carroll College where he graduated in Secondary Education. Bill also received his Master’s degree in Education from Gonzaga University.

While at Thompson Falls High School, Bill met the love of his life, Glenda “Faye” Teague. He and Glenda dated throughout high school and married when they were 20 years young. In 1968, they adopted their son, Todd, and later that year, Glenda gave birth to their daughter, Karla. Bill and Glenda spent numerous years following and supporting Todd and Karla throughout their high school and college athletic careers. Bill and his family enjoyed camping and boating on Bull Lake with the Konzen family for many years. He also enjoyed hunting and camping in the Yaak with the Schweitzer and Streeter families. Bill was known for telling a story or two and would never forget the name of a person he had met, a road he had driven on, or a mountain he had hunted.

Bill’s official working career began when he accepted a position in 1973 at Troy High School as a History teacher and head boys’ basketball coach. He moved his family and became a member of a very close and supportive Troy community. In 1981 his career path changed; he led an underground crew at ASARCO, the silver mine in Troy. After 10 years in the mine, he followed his heart back to the woods to drive logging truck. In 1995, Bill and Glenda moved to Missoula where he managed Muralt’s Truck Stop, followed by Truckers Express. He retired in 2010.

Bill spent his retirement years following and supporting his five grandkids, maintaining his beloved yard, working with Glenda in their garden, and, most importantly, attending every Montana Grizzly home football game. If you left the north endzone before the final gun, you would have been the target of Bill’s chant “leaving early, leaving early,” which is still a tradition today.

Bill is survived by his wife, Glenda; daughter, Karla (Rex); son, Todd (Amy); five grandchildren, Bryson, Kale, Brittany, Ali, and Gage; brother, Bob; sister, Julie (Jim); and niece, Jasmine (Seth).

Graveside services will take place at the Whitepine Cemetery in Trout Creek at 12:00 pm on Friday, August 14, with life-long family friend Father Gary Reller officiating.