William M. “Bill” Bright, age 66 of East Helena

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William Mark Bright (marked BB on everything he owned) and better known as Bill or Billy left this earth early and unexpectedly June 8th 2025.

Born November 16th 1958 to Ethel Bright, in Helena Montana along with his two siblings Linda and Dan. He grew up riding horses, tractors, shooting guns, and hiking & biking as much of Montana as he could see. He was full of energy, life and frequently ran circles around his hunting buddies and family both in town and up in the Rocky Mountains he loved so deeply. His many passions knew no bounds, like Helena’s founding history and classic architecture (more specifically the Broadwater Hotel & Natatorium).

Bill was also an avid history buff with great interest in General Custer of the U.S. Army, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe and his lifelong struggle to protect his culture, people, and way of life. Bill had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of “this, that and the other” as he would say.

Bill met his beloved Julie one fateful day in 1980 as a result of his mom (Ethel) and Julie’s mom (Judy) conspiring to play matchmaker for their kids. Julie loved the movie Urban Cowboy and Bud’s black truck. Bill fit the archetype with a snow white 1978 Chevy Scottsdale he nicknamed FROST to boot. He showed up at Julie’s house after she got home from Capital High surprising her with a blind date. His first words to her were “You like trucks? I’d like you to take me for a drive in mine.” We all know how particular he was with his cars, and as such this was the truest sign of Bill’s never-ending love for Julie from the moment he laid eyes on her. Bill loved taking Julie to lunch at Arctic Circle where he’d order 4 Ranch Burgers, Fries and a Shake. Bill had an appetite for food, life, and his faith like no other.

Bill married Julie on April 16th 1983 at the Presbyterian Church in Helena Montana and the two spent the next 42+ years at each other’s side starting in the valley where they rented a home from his boss at NorthSide Welding & Fabrication, Randy Chambers on North Montana Ave. Then they found home in East Helena, f first on Clark St. for just five years, followed by their forever home just a few blocks north on Clinton St.

After 10 years of married life with his Julie, the boxer pups (Jake & Justy) and cat (Juno), they welcomed their first son, Justin in 1993 and decided to make it two with the addition of Jacob in 1998. Bill loved his two sons in the unique way only Bill could do. Pushing them to be their best with a tough fatherly love they both know they’re better off for. You could always find Bill with his sons in tow cleaning his cars, mowing his lawn, fixing up or changing the oil of one of his many machines. Bill always wanted to have a granddaughter, if and when the Bright family is extended, we hope he’ll be watching over with great joy.

Bill loved the outdoors, boxers, cats, building model WWII airplanes, flying RC helicopters, radios, coffee, trains, cars, pickups, motorcycles, and anything with a motor he could take apart or just work on to fire up in his garage. His dirt bikes, cars, trucks and three-wheeler were as loved as his wife and two sons. (God forbid you ever mentioned his three-wheeler not being safe, he’d have words for you).

He loved camping with his family and road trips across the land he loved. He always kept the things in his life meticulous whether that be cars, the house, his toys, and his workstation at NorthSide Welding, where he spent almost 45 years fabricating Metalwork for the Helena area and beyond. A master of his craft he would always point out his work if you were out around town with him and you can’t go far in Helena without seeing his work hidden in plain sight. His coworkers across the decades can vouch for his never-ending work ethic and skills to complete 2 and 3 person tasks all on his own in the same if not less time. He was proud of the work he did at NorthSide and for many of those years Bill worked for Craig Wenger, his son Lance was just 6 years old when Bill met him. Bill and Julie watched him grow over the years eventually becoming Bill’s boss in 2010 when Craig passed. When Bill told Lance Wenger NorthSide’s owner he was finally ready to retire, Lance was so happy for Bill. A few days later at work Lance told Billy “Let’s go for a drive”. He drove Bill down to the Kawasaki shop and said “Billy, pick out anything you want”. NorthSide was a part of Bill’s family and not just a job to him. Bill hung up his welding gloves and hood for the last time on December 31st 2023.

Bill could fix anything, and it was a skill his family and friends all benefited from greatly. He took pride in his work and also the care and upkeep of everything he touched whether he owned it or not. Everything that Bill drove always looked like the day it rolled off the showroom floor. He wanted everything just so and in tip-top working order. He would often volunteer his own time for maintaining the East Helena Schools, his work Building, and trails near and far from his eternal foe (the invasive knapweed).

After a battle with lifelong high blood pressure and a short bout with amnesia the lord called Bill home early on June 8th for Eternal Rest. His lifelong wish of returning to one with the earth in his home state of Montana, which he cherished so dearly, will be fulfilled at a private burial in beautiful Forestvale Cemetery near his Mom Ethel.

Bill is survived by his wife Julie Bright of East Helena, his sons Justin (Alex) Bright-Sandroff of Tucson, Arizona, Jacob Bright of East Helena, his siblings Dan (Lynnae) Bright of Helena, Linda Duncan of Sierra Vista, Arizona. His many nieces and nephews, Cori Duncan of Ashville, North Carolina, Camille (Mark) Cope of Beaverton, Oregon, Dawn (Eugene) Bright of Missoula Montana, Nick Bright of Helena, and Dan Duncan of Arizona, as well as many other cousins and family members.

Bill was preceded in death by his beloved Mother Ethel (Linton) Bright, father Donald Bright, maternal grandparents Willam Linton, Emily Anderson, and uncle and aunt Lawrence and Pauline Linton.

Julie and her sons wish that if you would like to make a donation in memorial of Bill that you do so to the Lewis & Clark Humane Society P.O. Box 4455 Helena MT 59604or online at lchsmontana.org. Alternatively, any wildlife or nature conservancy of your choice would mean the world to Bill and his love of mother nature in all her beauty and creatures.

Service Schedule

Celebration of His Life

3:00 p.m.

Thursday June 19, 2025

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N. Montana Avenue

Helena, Montana

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Reception

Immediately following His Celebration of Life

Thursday June 19, 2025

Social Center of the Funeral Home

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Graveside Service

Forestvale Cemetery

Private family at a later date

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