COTANT, WILLIS AND LINDA (CHRISTENSEN)

by Willis G. Cotant

Entry F93 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

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.