Willis J. Wetstein, age 90, of Belgrade, formerly of Helena and Clancy, passed peacefully on Apr. 25, 2025, at Highgate Senior Living in Bozeman.
Willis was born on Apr. 12, 1935, on the family farm near Joliet, MT to John P. and Katherine L. (née Messer) Wetstein. He was the youngest of five siblings: Irene (Len) Vahey, Judy (Jim) Roberts, Lawrence (Martha) Wetstein, and Duane (Marlene) Wetstein. He married Nancy L. Mocabee on Mar. 12, 1955; they celebrated 70 years of marriage this March.
Willis graduated from Montana State College (now University) in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He then embarked upon a career in water resources engineering that took him to the far corners of Montana, many parts of the U.S. West and around the world, including Lesotho, Sudan, Philippines, and Central and South America. He rose through the ranks at Morrison-Maierle, Inc., his employer from the time of his graduation, eventually becoming CEO.
