William "Bill" Leon Salonen passed away peacefully on august 13, 2024. He was 90 years old. Bill was born in great Falls, Mt, on July 19, 1934.
He attended grade school in Butte, Mt, and in Seattle and Vancouver, Wa. He returned to Butte and graduated from high school in 1952. He was an all-State basketball player for the Butte Bulldogs.
He also played football and was selected for the Shrine football team in 1952. Bill was a proud "green jacket" member of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame and attended their banquet on the evening of this 90th Birthday. Bill attended Montana State College (now Montana State university) in Bozeman from 1952-1956.
He continued his athletic career in basketball, receiving numerous awards and recognition. When Bill graduated from MSC in 1956, he was fourth on the all-time scoring list; he currently ranks #8 in made free throws (357) and #7 on games played (120). He was named to the Bobcat Hall of Fame in 2003.
Bill was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the army upon graduation from college. He spent four years on active duty in Washington, dC and 21 years in the army reserve, retiring as a Lt. Colonel.
Around the same time as his commission to the army, Bill met the love of his life, Gaylene tracer, in the fall of 1956. after a short courtship, they got engaged, and then got married on June 16, 1957. Bill and Gaylene left soon after their wedding for Washington, dC.
Bill's first son, Bill, was born a year later in 1958. In 1960, Bill began teaching.