East Helena Obituary: William Cecil “Bill” Summers
Author: Family of William Cecil “Bill” Summers
William Cecil “Bill” Summers
Family of William Cecil “Bill” Summers
June 30, 1937 – March 22, 2026
In the early evening hours of Sunday, March 22, 2026, Bill Summers slipped quietly from his earthly home to his eternal destination in Heaven after a brief illness.
Bill was born in Great Falls on June 30, 1937, the first child of John Summers and Frances Turner Summers. He was shortly followed by brothers Gary, Jon and sister Shirley. After his father’s death in Germany in WWII, the family moved to Helena and his mother married Sam Harris from Boulder. That marriage was a wonderful decision for the kids who all loved Sam and resulted in the birth of another sister, Joy. Through Sam, Bill learned lifetime skills of hunting big game and fishing Montana streams, especially in the Elkhorn Mountains.
He attended Helena schools until his seventeenth birthday, when he and a buddy decided to join the Marine Corps. After his service, he came back to Helena and held several jobs, including working in the VA file room at Fort Harrison, where he met Myrna Davison. After a year of dating the two were married in East Helena on September 23, 1960.
In 1965, a son, William Jr., was born, followed by a son, Robert, in 1968. Many hunting and fishing trips to the Tizer Basin were enjoyed by the whole family, creating wonderful memories. The trips were made in the Jeep, which frequently would have some mechanical issues, and Bill would jimmy something up to continue the excursion.
In 1969, Bill and Myrna purchased and operated the Power Townsend grain elevator, after which Bill started farming. He joined the East Valley Volunteer Fire Department soon after its formation and served 49 years. He became interested in firefighting and bought three trucks, which he leased to the Forest Service during fire season. During that period, he joined with two friends to establish a construction company (Old Farts Construction), undertaking a range of building projects in the region.
He was well known for his kindness, honesty and generosity.
Bill is survived by his wife, Myrna, sons, Bill (Robyn) and Bob (Erin), grandchildren, Sam Summers, Macie Summers, Tyler Luce, Corbin Luce, Katelyn Summers and Braden Summers, sisters, Shirley Chovanak and Joy Gilford and many wonderful nieces and nephews whom he loved. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Gary and Jon and a beloved nephew and niece.
Funeral services celebrating his life will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 30, 2026, from the Friendship Baptist Church in Montana City, MT. A reception will follow in the social center of the church. Burial with military honors will be at 1:30 p.m. at the Memorial Shelter at the Montana State Veteran Cemetery at Ft Harrison, MT.
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