COTANT, WILLIS AND LINDA (CHRISTENSEN)

By Willis G. Cotant

Family Histories • Entry F93

Montana Thanksgiving Day 1986. The Willis and Gary Cotant Families. Back Row - Curtis, Willis, Keith. Front - Linda (Christensen) Sharyl (Hatcher) — Montana Thanksgiving Day 1986. The Willis and Gary Cotant Families. Back Row – Curtis, Willis, Keith. Front – Linda (Christensen) Sharyl (Hatcher)

I was born 1934 in South Cherry County, Nebraska, the son of Elva (Willis) Cotant and Harvey Cotant. My birthplace was on the Simonson and Lowe Ranch.

I attended schools in Cherry and Hooker counties and graduated from Mullen High School May 23, 1952. I worked on various ranches until February of 1956. Then I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and spent two years of active duty in California.

In 1958, my younger brother, Garry, and I moved to Montana. I loved the beautiful majestic mountains of “The Big Sky Coun-try.'' It didn't take me long to decide that this is where I wanted to live.

On September 23, 1960, I married Linda Marie Christensen daughter of Glenn and Elida Christensen. They owned and operated a ranch fourteen miles northwest of Martins-dale, Montana. We worked for them for several years, and in June of 1972 Linda and I purchased the ranch and are currently running commercial and registered red angus cattle.

During that time our two sons, Curtis and Keith, were born. (Curtis 1962 and Keith 1966). Curtis graduated from White Sulphur Springs High School and Montana State University with a degree in Engineering. He spent a year in Las Vegas where he was one of the engineers constructing a new 720 room addition onto the Hilton Hotel. He moved back to Montana in the spring of 1986, and is presently employed with a firm in Billings, Montana. Keith also graduated from White Sulphur Springs High School with honors, and is presently in his second year of college at the Billings Vocational Technical Center in Billings, Montana. He plans to be an auto and diesel mechanic.

Over the past 26 years, I have had the opportunity to serve my church, community, and state in various ways. I have served as Trinity Lutheran Church Council member and president, FMHA director, Farm Bureau president, school board trustee, 4-H leader, 4-H Council president, and Meagher County Conservation Board supervisor and chair-man. In 1981, I was honored as Meagher County's Father of The Year.