William McKinley

William Charles McKinley, 81, of Missoula, passed away July 19, 2014, at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula.

He was born Nov. 14, 1932, in Poplar to Ethel and Cecil McKinley. He lived most recently in Missoula but was a longtime Bitterroot and Flathead resident.

Bill worked on the Hungry Horse Dam and helped construct the Anaconda Aluminum Co. plant the Flathead Valley. He then worked in the logging industry for several years.

Bill went into retirement and partnered up with his Kubota tractor. He did lots of custom jobs over the years with his tractor. He was known by family and friends as “Tractor Man.”

Survivors include his wife of 62 years Thelma; children Jody McKinley and Pat Heidemann, of Missoula, Tami Larson and husband Dave, of Bend, Ore., and Vicki Ayala and husband Willie, of Missoula; grandchildren Rory McKinley and wife Jamie, of Peoria, Ariz., Ryah McKinley, of Yakima, Wash., Mystel Creighton and husband Daniel, of Kalispell, Chaille Hooley and husband Kevin, of Columbia Falls, Callan McKinley, of Tulsa, Okla., Cheyloe Forbes, of Kalispell, Will Ayala, of Spokane, Jesse Ayala and Jenneca Barber, of Missoula, David Larson, of Bend, Ore., and Nathan Larson, of Bend, Ore.; great grandchildren Dylan, Faith, Sydni and Blake McKinley, of Peoria, Sawyer and Hunter Creighton, of Kalispell, and Kynlie Hooley, of Columbia Falls; numerous nieces and nephews; and numerous friends and extended family members.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date in September. Condolences may be left for the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.