William Gus Flechsenhar

William “Bill” Gus Flechsenhar, age 77, passed away on Nov 1, 2021, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, MT after a brief illness. Visitation will take place at Schnider Funeral Home on Thursday, November 4, 2021, from 6:00–8:00 pm. The funeral service will take place at 12:00 noon on November 5, 2021, at Cascade Methodist Church with graveside services to follow at Cascade Hillside Cemetery. Bill was born on June 29, 1944, in Butte, MT to Virgil Dwight and Marian Flechsenhar. The family moved to Cascade in his early childhood. He was a basketball, football, and track and field All-Star. Bill graduated in 1962 from Cascade High School and from Western Montana College in Dillon, MT in 1966 with a degree in English and Math. While in college he was the Student Body President, editor of the paper and yearbook, played collegiate basketball, football, and track. After graduation, Bill’s first teaching job was at Hilmar High School in Hilmar, CA. He then moved back to Montana to teach English and Math at Broadwater County High School in Townsend, MT for 5 years. While teaching, Bill was the assistant coach for boys’ basketball, football, and track. Bill married the love of his life, Jeannie Christie on March 25, 1972. Next year would have been their 50th wedding anniversary. Bill then taught English and Math becoming the head of the English department at Belgrade High School in Belgrade, MT for 5 years. There, he was the head boys’ basketball, assistant football, and track coach. In 1977, Bill led his boys’ basketball team to the state tournament finishing 4th.While in Belgrade, Bill and Jeannie welcomed daughter, Heather and two years later daughter, Angie. Bill and Jeannie, with their two daughters, moved to Cascade in 1977 to purchase the family lumber yard/hardware store/gas station, Mattson Lumber Company. They welcomed Christie two years later. Bill and Jeannie raised three beautiful, loving daughters that were Bill’s most precious legacy. They owned and operated Mattson Lumber Co. for 28 years. Bill was a caring and generous business owner. Bill changed careers and became a special investigator completing high level security clearances for the federal government in 2004. He retired after 14 years. Bill served on the Cascade Town Council. He was a Board Member for the Wedsworth Memorial Board for over 30 years, on the Library Board, coached girls’ basketball for Cascade High School, and was involved in Lions Club among other civic activities. Bill had a passion for fly fishing and passed it on to his eldest daughter, Heather and eldest granddaughter, Leah. He enjoyed hunting and camping at the family cabin and traveling with family and friends. Each year Bill loved vacationing at Big Sky, MT with his family. Some of his best memories were time spent skiing with Larry Ray’s family and Wayne and Sherry Lersbak's family. Bill enjoyed getting together with his Cascade buddies to play cards once a week. Bill always enjoyed good political banter. His special joy was spending time with his grandchildren. Bill will be greatly missed by his wife, Jeannie, of 49 1/2 years; three children, Heather Flechsenhar, Angela (Shea) Fitzgibbons, and Christie (Austin) Knudsen; and his precious grandchildren, Leah, Connor, and Reagan Knudsen and Mackenzie, Ian, and Keirnan Fitzgibbons. He is also survived by his sister, Marilyn (Murry) Moore; uncle, Charles (Barbara) Marinos; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Dwight Flechsenhar; mother, Marian Flechsenhar; sister, Connie Flechsenhar; and granddaughter, Emma Bauer. The service will be streamed live at facebook.com/CanyonLifeChurch