Obituaries - William Reed 'Bill'  Ammen

William Reed "Bill"  Ammen, 79, of Turner, Montana, passed away at his home Monday, Jan. 5, 2015.  

A viewing will be held Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, at 7 p.m., at Edwards Funeral Home in Chinook. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at 11 a.m at American Lutheran Church in Turner.  

Arrangements have been made with Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook. Condolences may be left for the family at http://www.edwardsfuneralhomemt.com.

Bill was born May 24, 1935, to George Albert Ammen and Gladys Reed Ammen in Topeka, Kansas.

At toddler age, Bill's family moved to the Montana/Canadian border where his father worked for U.S. Customs and Immigrations.  

At the age of 5, Bill began his life on the Big Flat when his family moved to Turner and his parents purchased and took over the operations of the W.H. Reed Farm and Ranch. Bill grew up working on the farm and attending Turner High School, graduating as the valedictorian in 1953. He then attended Montana State University for two years, studying agriculture and welding, before enlisting in the U.S. Army. After returning from overseas duty in the U.S. Army from January 1956 to October 1957, Bill returned to marry his fiancée Glenna Mae Steinmetz of Chinook. Bill and Glenna were married March 2, 1958, and moved to the farm to begin the purchase and operation of the Ammen Farm and Ranch in cooperation with his father, George, and mother, Gladys. He and Glenna took over operations in 1973, working the farm and ranch while raising his daughter, Sheena Mae; and son, William George; and continued until his "semi-retirement" in 2012 when his son, William G. Ammen, took over primary operations.  

Bill loved his family, farming and loved his Montana community statewide. The Big Flat was his home, and he loved the people who make it the special place it is. Bill served Montana, Blaine County, and the Big Flat in many community areas. He was a member of the Blaine County Fair Board for 45 years and served as the Rocky Mountain Fair Board chairman and in 1999 was selected as the Rocky Mountain Fair Board Association's Fair Person of The Year. He was a member of the Turner school board for 15 years and an EMT-D for the Blaine County II Ambulance Crew. He served on the Turner Volunteer Fire Department and was part of several Montana and Rocky Mountain region major fire responses. He served as a 4-H leader and member of the Turner Lutheran Church Council. He was a precinct committee member and served two terms on the Blaine County Study Commission. Bill was active in state and local Hereford organizations and a member of the Bear Paw Hereford Association, serving as a director. He was a member and director of the Montana Stockgrowers Association for many years and a charter member of the Turner/Hogeland Lions Club. He was a member of Farm Credit Service Agency and served as the president and director for a time as well. Bill had no lack of interests and was also an accomplished pilot and a member of Toastmasters International.  

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Glenna Mae (Steinmetz) Ammen; his daughter, and son-in-law, Sheena Ammen Binder and Robert D. Binder, of Denver, Colorado; his son and daughter-in-law, William G. Ammen and Darci (Slade) Ammen, of Turner; his grandchildren, Ryan Doyle, Alison Doyle and Rhett Ammen; his sister, Penelope Mackey of Malta, Montana; and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in his death by his parents, George A. and Gladys M. Ammen; and his brother, George A. Ammen Jr.