- Date Of Birth: April 21, 1924
- Date Of Death: August 11, 2017
- State: Montana
Louis Metz Kimbrell Sr
Louis Metz Kimbrell, 93, passed away August 11, 2017 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Louis was born on April 21, 1924 to Johnny and Maggie Kimbrell in Townley, Alabama. His father worked for the coal mines and the family moved from Alabama to Harlan, Kentucky, when Louis was a small child. He had many stories about the adventures he would have in “the Hollers” with the “company town kids.”
Louis enlisted in the Army following Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He fought in the Pacific as a paratrooper with the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, making combat jumps on New Guinea and the Philippine island of Corregidor. He remained on active duty following the war, and retired after 26 years of service. During his time in the military he served at numerous locations stateside, in Europe, and Asia. He received numerous awards and decorations during his time in the Army, to include the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.
In December 1948, he met the girl of his dreams, Venetta Anderson. They got married on January 14, 1949 after only knowing each other for two weeks. They were married 68 years and raised five children: Linda, Louis Jr, Timothy, Susan, and Leila.
After moving around the world throughout his career, the family moved to Kalispell (where Venetta was from) in 1968. Louis began working for the city of Kalispell and retired a second time in 1986.
Following a bad injury in 2011 he moved to the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, Montana.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Venetta, his son Timothy, his great granddaughter, Laykin Humphreys, and his beloved dog Ringo.
Louis is survived by his children, Linda (Bill) Kral of Nobleford, Alberta; Louis Jr (Anne) of Kalispell; Susan (Kelly) Hartman of Kalispell; Leila (James)Lockwood of Kalispell; 10 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren; his sister, Ruth Parmerlee, of Indianapolis, Indiana; his sister-in-law, Orletta Lovell of Kalispell; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the Montana’s Veterans Home and their staff for the wonderful care that Louis received, as well as the the staff of Kalispell Regional Medical Center, the Emergency Room, and Dr. Sarah Robinson.
As Dad was famous for saying “You never get out of this world alive!
