William "Bill" Mcrae

William “Bill” McRae, aged 89, of Choteau died August 21, 2024, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls writing the final chapter of an accomplished and amazing life.  Bill’s life story began with his birth on the family farm on November 13, 1934, near Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He was the third and last child of William David McRae and Anna (Sotak) McRae.

Bill left the farm and Wisconsin in 1954 to work in Montana with his brother, John. In Billings, MT, Bill met the love of his life, Mary Sawyer. They were married on February 5, 1955.

Newly married and starting a family, Bill became a welder and an ironworker pursuing the trade in Minnesota, California, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. He helped build the Carquinez Straits Bridge near San Francisco in 1957, the Minute Man ICBM complex in Montana in the 60s and 70s and participated in the removal of the bands on the Black Eagle Smelter Stack in 1976.

In 1958, the Montana Rocky Mountain Front became his home and the “last best place” for the remainder of his life. In 1962, when he became pastor of the Assembly of God Church in Fairfield, Montana, and published a hunting story in Outdoor Life, Bill with his many talents led simultaneous careers for many years. He remained pastor in Fairfield until 1972. After this, he strove to be one of the leading photographers and outdoor writers in the country and became an expert on hunting and sporting optics.

He had more than 400 articles published in national magazines such as Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Sports Afield, Audubon, and Popular Mechanics, among others. He had thousands of photos published in magazines, books, calendars, catalogs, and advertisements. But, more than his career success, Bill loved sitting around wilderness campfires under the stars with family and friends, reciting poetry and country songs, telling stories, and talking about the vastness of the universe.

In 2011, Bushnell Outdoor Products honored Bill by bestowing on him the first “Bushnell Bill McRae Annual Lifetime Achievement Award.” The award recognized him as “widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable optics writers in the industry” and saluted him as a mentor to young writers. He received other awards over the years from the Outdoor Writers of America.

Bill was a family man who took the raising of his children and grandchildren seriously. He exposed them to the outdoors, religion, and science thereby instilling upon them the value of education. He was a great role model, teacher, and inspiration to those around him.

Bill is survived by sons, Mark (Cathy) McRae and Mike (Debbie) McRae. Bill and his wife, Mary, were guardians to granddaughters, Brittany (Wesley) Davidson nee Fischer and Courtney (Thane) McRae-Thompson nee Fischer. He has 8 living grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and one great-great- grandchild. He will be greatly missed by all of them and by his surviving friends.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Sawyer McRae in 2016; his sister, Betty Wucherpfennig; brother, John McRae; son, Timothy McRae; daughter, Colleen McRae; and grandson, Jason McRae.

No services are planned. To honor Bill, spend some time outdoors, read a couple of Robert Service poems, look up to the night sky and listen to your favorite country song.