CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 Wilford was also active in farming, and he and his wife Kathryn ran a flower shop for many years, which helped financially support their endeavors. Wilford retired from funeral service in 1970; served as President of MFDA in 1971, and passed away in 1977. Throughout Montana, family funeral services have traditionally been very successful. The Bell Funeral Home was no exception. Carl W. “Bill” Bell helped his father in the funeral home from a very young age. After graduation in 1943, Bill Bell enlisted in the United States Navy and served in World War II on the USS Suwannee. After the war, he immediately headed for St. Louis, Missouri, where he completed his Mortuary Science training. He then returned to Malta to assist his dad at the Bell Funeral Home. Bill and his wife, Dorothy, had six children and the Malta Bell Funeral Home was doing about 50 calls per year – needless to say, they were very busy. In 1956, Bill moved his family to Glasgow, where he worked at the Peterson Funeral Home, one of two funeral homes in Glasgow at that time. In 1958, Bill and Ward Penland purchased the Peterson Funeral Home and began operating Glasgow’s one funeral home as Throughout Montana, family funeral services have traditionally been very successful. The Bell Funeral Home was no exception. Carl W. “Bill” Bell helped his father in the funeral home from a very young age. Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 13
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