William Medvec

William A. Bill Medvec, 87, a retired US Army Veteran, watchmaker and insurance salesman, passed away on Friday, April 20, 2012 of natural causes at a Peace Hospice Facility. Funeral services will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. with Father Dick Schlosser presiding.Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.William Bill Medvec was born in Tracy, Montana on April 6, 1925 to Stefan and Katarina (Guza) Medvec.Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army at the age of 18 and completed his basic training at Ft. Roberts, CA. He served his Country assigned to Company C 593rd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment on the Sea Slasher.In this capacity Bill was a Coxswain transporting soldiers and equipment for long distances to the Island of New Calidona, New Guinea, Biak, Moratoai, and Borneo.He spent two years in the Southwest Pacific and seven months stateside.After the war ended, he went on to work as a truck driver for the US Army in August 1945.Shortly after his discharge, Bill was informed that his former troop transport, the Sea Slasher, had been sunk by the Japenese.After his years of service, Bill went to work for Western Airlines in the cargo department, where he met the love of his life, Agnes Lohse, who was a radio operator for the Airline.They married on February 12, 1947.Bill embraced opportunity and took flying lessons in 1946 and then also utilized his GI Bill to attend the Midwest School of Horology in Albany, MO.Upon graduating in 1948, he returned to Montana and went to work in Conrad for Harold Pyle.In 1951, they moved to Chester, MT to open Medvecs Jewelry.His know motto was If your watch does not tick, see Medvec!In 1952 they relocated to Great Falls and he worked for Kovich Jewelry and Salmonsons Jewelry.In 1956, Bill and Agnes returned to his family home, Tracy, where he was born. He retired from the jewelry business in 1963 and immediately went on to become an Insurance Agent for Prudential Insurance Agency for twenty years, retiring in 1983.Bill was a very world-wide traveled man.He traveled extensively throughout Montana collecting premiums and making many lifetime friends along the way.A noted achievement for Bill was when he received a National Quality Award for sales.He was popular with children, as he was well known to always have a stash of suckers for them.Bill is survived by his wife Agnes Medvec of Tracy, MT; daughter Susan (Les) Morgan of Helena, MT sons, Micheal Medvec of Vancouver, WA, Bruce (Debbie) Medvec of Tracy, MT, and Gary (Brenda)Medvec of East Helena, MT; sisters Julia Desy of Great Falls, MT and Eleanore Flood of Great Falls, MT; grandchildren Michael Medvec, Shelly (Patrick) Long, Bill (Tristan) Lee, Christina (Mark) Lee-Henderson, Rena (Eric) Nelson, Jace (Morgan) Medvec, Stacia Medvec and Kyra Medvec; and great-grandchildren Geralyn, Michael, Matthew, Chelsea, Destinee, Tyler, Peyton, Keenan and another grandson on the way.He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Steve Medvec and Andrew Medvec.Condolences may be left for the family at www.schniderfuneralhome.com