Montana Bids Farewell To Congressman Pat Williams

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Former Montana Congressman Pat Williams died in a Missoula hospital on Wednesday, June 25, at age 87. Williams, a nine-term Congressman, was elected in 1979 and served the state until his retirement in 1997. Condolence messages have been pouring in from all parts of Montana, responding to Williams’ passing.

We received this message on Williams’ passing from Montana Governor Greg Gianforte.

“Susan and I join Montanans in commemorating the life and legacy of former Montana Congressman Pat Williams. As Montana’s longest-serving congressman, Pat championed Montana’s interests, working to find common ground for nearly 20 years in Washington. He was a dedicated public servant. We ask all Montanans to keep his wife Carol and their children in your prayers.”

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I reached out to friends and close associates of Congressman Williams for their comments on his passing, beginning with former Montana Governor Marc Racicot.

Former Governor Marc Racicot Expressed his Sadness Over Williams' Death

“He was a good friend,” began Racicot. “He was always available whenever we had federal interactions that we had to confront. That started actually when I was in the Attorney General's office and we lost a seat in Congress, if you recall, and he was incredibly helpful and diligent about trying to regain that seat.”

Racicot said Williams and his work will have a lasting impact on Montana history.

“He not only had character, he was a character, and he was fun to be around, and always so good to me; so nice to me, and helped us out frequently as he was serving in Congress as I was working in the governor's office,” he said. “So it's a great loss. I'm terribly sorry about his passing. He was, he was, I think, you know, legendary in the history of the politics in the state of Montana, the longest serving Congress person ever.”

UM President Seth Bodnar said Williams will be Mourned by all of Griz Nation

Another friend of the late Pat Williams was UM President Seth Bodnar, who said all of Griz Nation will mourn his passing.

“The entire Griz family is deeply saddened by the loss of Congressman Pat Williams,” said Bodnar. “His life was defined by service to others and service to the state that he loved so dearly, and we miss him terribly already, but his life, his legacy, will always be an inspiration for all of us.”

Bodnar said Williams, who lived near the university, was always working to build a better future for Montanans.

“Pat was an educator at heart,” he said. “There were a few things about Pat that everybody knew. First and foremost, everybody knew that he was from Butte, America. You know that pride in his hometown came out throughout everything that he did. The other thing that everybody knew is just how committed he was to building a brighter future for all Montanans.”

Missoula County Commissioners Provide a Statement

Juanita Vero, Dave Strohmaier, and Josh Slotnick provided this statement following the death of longtime Congressman Pat Williams:

"We're deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and former Congressman Pat Williams. He devoted his life to public service, championing causes Montanans continue to hold dearly, including public lands remaining in public hands. He also played a critical role in passing the Family and Medical Leave Act, ensuring our employees right here at Missoula County and across the country can take the time they need to care for family members and themselves without the risk of losing their employment. Montanans will continue to benefit from Pat's commitment, tenacity, and compassion for generations to come."

Williams will lie in state at the Montana State Capitol in Helena. Details will be provided at a later date.