Henry Floyd Bickford

Henry Floyd Bickford

Henry Floyd Bickford, 72, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, Feb. 12, at St. James Healthcare in Butte, from complications due to diabetes.

Floyd was born in Havre on Jan. 16, 1939, to Henry and Mary (Smith) Bickford. He married Shirley Hamilton in July 1958, and they had three children, Jody Bickford, Shelly Bickford Anderson and Jay Floyd Bickford.

Floyd moved his family to Butte in 1963 when he was transferred by his employer at the time, the Havre J. C. Penney store. Floyd worked many jobs in Butte, including stints as an insurance agent, a security officer, a prison guard, a laborer and a miner. He also worked at the Safeway milk plant and at Thompson Distributing. In 1978, Floyd moved to Billings with Mary (Schonsberg) Bickford, and they married in 1986, the year they moved back to Butte to be closer to their children.

Floyd retired from the state and spent much of his spare time four-wheeling, fishing and bird hunting with his family, especially his closest nephew Mike Miller.

Floyd played football for the state champion Havre High football team in 1955 and was a member of the Blue Pony High School choir. He loved attending his grandkids' sporting events and was their biggest fan. "Open a can of whoopass, " was a phrase heard often. Floyd also spent six months at Fort Knox, Ky., and was in the National Guard Army Reserve for four years.

Floyd was preceded in death by his parents; older brothers, Max, Russell and Steve Bickford; sisters, Mildred (Bickford) Coe, Tressa (Bickford) Staples and Peggy (Bickford) Warner; nephew, Steve Bickford and in-laws and close friends, Al and Julia Caprara.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; children, Jody Bickford, Shelly Bickford (Jim) Anderson and Jay Bickford; grandchildren Jake and John Henry Anderson; brother, Wade (Kathy) Bickford; stepchildren Carla (Doug) Caldwell and Pete (Lisa) Schonsberg; step-grandchildren Keri and Kyle Caldwell, and Luke, Marcus, Sam and Matthew Schonsberg; close niece, Mary Beth Dahlin; lifelong best friend, Bill Seal; and numerous great-nieces and -nephews.

Floyd had a unique sense of humor that everyone loved, and even during the toughest of times, he never had a bad day.

A reception followed a memorial service Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Gold Hill Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.

Henry Floyd Bickford, 72, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, Feb. 12, at St. James Healthcare in Butte, from complications due to diabetes.

Floyd was born in Havre on Jan. 16, 1939, to Henry and Mary (Smith) Bickford. He married Shirley Hamilton in July 1958, and they had three children, Jody Bickford, Shelly Bickford Anderson and Jay Floyd Bickford.

Floyd moved his family to Butte in 1963 when he was transferred by his employer at the time, the Havre J. C. Penney store. Floyd worked many jobs in Butte, including stints as an insurance agent, a security officer, a prison guard, a laborer and a miner. He also worked at the Safeway milk plant and at Thompson Distributing. In 1978, Floyd moved to Billings with Mary (Schonsberg) Bickford, and they married in 1986, the year they moved back to Butte to be closer to their children.

Floyd retired from the state and spent much of his spare time four-wheeling, fishing and bird hunting with his family, especially his closest nephew Mike Miller.

Floyd played football for the state champion Havre High football team in 1955 and was a member of the Blue Pony High School choir. He loved attending his grandkids' sporting events and was their biggest fan. "Open a can of whoopass, " was a phrase heard often. Floyd also spent six months at Fort Knox, Ky., and was in the National Guard Army Reserve for four years.

Floyd was preceded in death by his parents; older brothers, Max, Russell and Steve Bickford; sisters, Mildred (Bickford) Coe, Tressa (Bickford) Staples and Peggy (Bickford) Warner; nephew, Steve Bickford and in-laws and close friends, Al and Julia Caprara.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; children, Jody Bickford, Shelly Bickford (Jim) Anderson and Jay Bickford; grandchildren Jake and John Henry Anderson; brother, Wade (Kathy) Bickford; stepchildren Carla (Doug) Caldwell and Pete (Lisa) Schonsberg; step-grandchildren Keri and Kyle Caldwell, and Luke, Marcus, Sam and Matthew Schonsberg; close niece, Mary Beth Dahlin; lifelong best friend, Bill Seal; and numerous great-nieces and -nephews.

Floyd had a unique sense of humor that everyone loved, and even during the toughest of times, he never had a bad day.

A reception followed a memorial service Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Gold Hill Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.