Obituary: Vincent John Woodwick

Vincent John Woodwick, 62, passed away peacefully in his sleep Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, at his residence.

Cremation has taken place, and graveside services will be held at sunset Thursday, March 2, 2017, at Cottonwood Cemetery, north of Havre. Funeral procession departs from Holland & Bonine Funeral Home at 5 p.m.

The family has suggested that memorial donations be made to the Gift of Life Housing Center, 2800 11th Ave. S, Ste 23, Great Falls, MT 59405-5263, the North Central Senior Citizens Center, 2 Second Street W, Havre, MT 59501, or the Sletten Cancer Institute, Havre location 40 13th St W, Havre, MT 59501, or Great Falls location, 1117 29th Street S, Great Falls, MT 59405, or the Havre-Hill County Library, 402 Third Street, Havre, MT 59501.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Vince's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for his family at  hollandbonine.com.

Vince was born July 20, 1954, to Jim and Theresa (Malsam) Woodwick in Havre. He attended St. Jude School and graduated from Havre High School in 1972.

That summer, Vince worked for Hill County, and then went on to work for Burlington Northern Railroad for 30 years. He married his high school sweetheart, Debbie Williams, Sept. 15, 1973, and they had two children, Nathan and Sheri. Vince's work with the railroad moved the family to Livingston in 1978, and back to Havre in 1982. He was transferred to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1992, and they returned to Havre after his retirement in 2002.

Over the years, Vince was involved in the Boy Scouts, holding different leader positions. He coached girls' softball, where he earned the nickname "Uncle Bozo." Vince volunteered for the Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump, and was involved in the snake patrol, inventing the snake trap. He also did stone boiling and school tours and special events at the Buffalo Jump. Vince was very community minded, and was the backbone for the Fourth of July Festival, working hard every year to ensure that the Festival was held.

Vince was an avid hunter. Vince's greatest passion was his involvement in the arts. He was one of the founding members of the Artitude Gallery, gave drawing lessons to a group of young people at the Havre-Hill County Library, which led to the Library Art Display Project, and mentored a group of young artists for the past three years. He was a very giving person both with his time and talents, preferring to give his artwork and poems as gifts, knowing that they meant so much more for the work he put into them. He also wrote poems, some of which his brother Woody would then write music for. Vince touched everyone's lives.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Theresa Woodwick; his infant brother; his grandparents, Alex and Anne LeBlanc and Anthony and Frances Malsam; and his mother-in-law, Betty Williams.

Vince is survived by his wife of 43 years, Debbie Woodwick of Havre; his son, Nathan Woodwick of Havre; his daughter, Sheri Hampton, and his granddaughters, Bailey and Lyra of Lincoln, Nebraska; his father-in-law, Charles Williams of Havre; his sister, Colleen (Mike) Gannon of Maple Valley, Washington; his brothers Steve Woodwick of Great Falls, and Woody (Keri) Woodwick of Havre, and numerous nieces and nephews.