William Lee Bill Vink

William Lee 'Bill' Vink, 77, of Livingston, passed away at Livingston HealthCare on Monday, August 19, 2019. Cremation has taken place and graveside committal and burial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, August 24, 2019, Pastor Harlan Durgan officiating. Family and friends are invited gather at Franzen-Davis Funeral Home, 118 N. 3rd Street, at 1:45 P.M. to proceed to Mountain View Cemetery. Following the service, a reception will be held at Living Hope Church, 226 S. 3rd Street, Livingston, Montana. Bill was born at Chico Hot Springs Hospital on March 24, 1942, the son of Peter "Jack" and Agnes Mysse Vink. He was raised on the Vinks Paradise Valley ranch. He attended Livingston elementary schools, living during the school year with his "town" family where Bill enjoyed a close relationship with cousins John and David Hillard. After graduating from Park County High School in 1960, Bill attended Billings Business College. During the Cold War Era, he served in the U.S. Army in Wrzburg, Germany. Assigned to a Supply and Transportation Battalion, Bill traded a desk job for a seat behind the wheel of a 5-ton, 6X6 wrecker. The job appealed to him and after service to his country, he stayed behind the wheel of big rigs for some 45 years. During that time, Bill evolved from a logging truck driver to livestock hauler to an independent owner/operator transporting interstate commodities. Because of his knowledge, Bill established a Federal Motor Carrier Broker authority, matching clients to for-hire independent operators a job he pursued until the week of his death. Bill is survived by his companion and friend, Arlyth Sarver; a sister Pat (Jerry) Brekke; two sons, Gary Vink of Dillon and Keith Vink of Billings; a nephew, Todd (Jennifer) Brekke of Bozeman, niece, Sara (Chris) Harmon of Belgrade and their families; as well as an extended family of cousins, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Wendy Lee Vink. Memorials are preferred to Livingston Loaves and Fishes, 301 So. Main, Livingston, Montana, 59047 or Stafford Animal Shelter, 3 Boulder Business Park Rd, in Livingston, Montana, 59047.