William Ernest Olinger

William (Bill) Olinger, 91, passed away peacefully at home in Great Falls on October 7, 2021. At his request, no service will be held. The family will hold a private memorial with military honors. Bill was born in Glasgow, Montana on June 18, 1930 to Thomas & Ernestine Olinger, the eighth of nine children. He grew up in Glasgow, graduating from Glasgow High School in 1948. He was a proud Glasgow Scottie. After graduation, he and his brother purchased the Standard Gas Station in Glasgow. His gas station career was short-lived, as he was drafted into the Army and proudly served in the Korean War. After serving his country, he returned home and sold his service station. He attended Montana State University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1958. After college, he moved to Oregon where he worked civil service for the Army Corps of Engineering. He proudly worked on the power houses within dams located in the Pacific Northwest. In January 1971, he began work for the Army Corps of Engineering’s anti-ballistic missiles in Conrad, Montana. There, he met the love of his life, Frances (Fran) Frank. When the Conrad site was closed, he moved to Langdon, North Dakota, continuing his work with the missiles. He and Fran married on June 23, 1973 in Great Falls, Montana. They resided in North Dakota until moving to Sierra Vista, Arizona in November 1974. Bill continued civil service work at Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista. He traveled overseas extensively, setting up powerhouses in countries including Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, and Korea. During this time, he also became a father to his three children: Don, Shari, and Luci. In 1987, he retired from civil service and became a full time stay at home Dad. He stayed busy in retirement - grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring the kids, and taking care of the family dogs. He took great pride in his kids and enjoyed various activities with them. In 1993, the family moved back to Montana to be closer to loved ones. Bill was especially close to his father-in-law Don Frank, who he considered his best friend. Together Bill & Don attended Centerville Senior Citizens where Bill served as treasurer. He was named Senior Citizen of the Year in 2000. He also took up an old passion of his and bowled on a league once a week until he was 88. Many bowlers admired him and his league named him Most Inspirational Bowler. He bowled on the Honor League in 2018, which consisted of the four oldest bowlers in the Great Falls city tournament. He was an avid college basketball fan and particularly enjoyed cheering for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He caught every game he could, even when he was in the hospital. During this time, Bill also took care of family members as they aged and their health declined, including his beloved father-in-law and Fran’s Aunt Helen Brix. When Fran was forced to retire early due to medical reasons, Bill selflessly and lovingly cared for her for many years. He was an amazing man - kind hearted, loved unconditionally, would do anything for anybody, and had a sense of humor like no other. Even in his final days, his sense of humor remained strong. He always knew what to say to brighten someone’s day. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 48 years Fran Olinger; children Don Olinger of Christiansburg,Virginia, Shari Simonsen of Great Falls and Luci (Chris) Reid of Helena; grandchildren Jayden & Kallie Simonsen and Alaina & Peyton Reid; brother Gordon (Linda) Olinger of Saco, Montana; and many nieces & nephews. Bill is also survived by his loyal dog Joey, who he called the most intelligent dog. He was preceded in death by his parents Thomas & Ernestine Olinger and seven siblings: Bertha Spencer, Henry Olinger, Anna Bush, Emma Boyd, Walter Olinger, Edward Olinger and Laura Maki. Arrangements are being handled by O’Connor Funeral Home. His final resting place will be the Memory Gardens located at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.