Major General William T. McLean (Retired) was born in Anaconda, Montana, on February 27, 1936, to Margaret (Tracy) and Charles "Bubs" McLean. Tim grew up in a family with 5 boys.  He was the second son, and was a brother to Charles, Edward, and Tracy. Shortly after World War ll, his uncle, Tim Tracy, and his son, Tim Tracy Jr (Pick), moved into the home. Pick was always considered a brother.

When Tim was a toddler, the Hearst Dam reservoir burst flooding Anaconda which closed down the Anaconda Foundry where Bubs worked. Tim's parents built a cabin at a small remote mining camp in Granite County called Hidden Lake where Tim's father worked as a miner to make ends meet. Tim would tell stories of his father lifting him up on his shoulders and hiking into the mining camp from Warm Springs Creek through the snow, uphill both ways, barefoot, while carrying provisions to the one room cabin which they called home. The living conditions in his early years were humble and austere and the environment harsh which, no doubt, contributed to Tim's strength of character.  Remnants of cabin still stand to this day.

The family moved back to Anaconda where Tim was raised and attended two local parochial schools: St Peter's Grade School, and Anaconda Central High School. He enjoyed fishing and hunting ducks in the Georgetown Lake area, and deer and elk hunting in the Wise River/Big Hole area with his father and brothers. He also played football and basketball for Anaconda Central and was considered a very good athlete.

After graduating from Anaconda Central in 1953, he attended Carroll College in Helena. Like most freshmen, he had no idea what he wanted to do in life but he was leaning toward the priesthood. One evening, at the urging of Tim's father, Congressmen Lee Metcalf requested that Tim meet him in the Helena Congressional Office. Congressman Metcalf planned to run for US Senate and believed appointing the son of a well known person to West Point from the blue-collar area of Butte-Anaconda would improve his chances. (Tim's father was the secretary treasurer of the Miner's SmeItermen's Union of which there were 4700 members.  He also was the secretary treasurer of the Credit Union.) That phone call changed the trajectory of Tim's life. He was accepted to West point, left Carroll College after one year, abandoned his idea of going into the priesthood, and started on his path to becoming an Army Officer.

Tim boarded a train bound for New York in the summer of 1954 to start his freshman (Plebe) year. Life at the Military Academy was quite an adjustment.  It included intensive training, drill and ceremonies (marching), studies, and indoctrination into the following Honor Code: "A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do." It was a code that Tim lived by. While on leave after his Plebe year, Tim fell for the love of his life, the beautiful Arlene O'Brien.  They corresponded almost daily during Tim's Junior (Cow) year. While on leave after the 3rd year at West Point, Tim and Arlene got engaged and planned to be married shortly after Tim's graduation. The friendships he made at West Point, in particular those in Company F-1 were very special to him throughout his career and well into retirement.

Tim graduated from West Point in June of 1958 securing his place in the "Long Gray Line."  After graduation, he was commissioned an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant and he and Arlene returned to Butte, MT and got married. After taking two months of leave, they set off on a lifetime adventure and the beginning of a career in the United States Army. Four years in, Tim transferred to the Quartermaster Corps. Tim served a total of 31 years in a variety of command and staff positions at tactical, operational, and strategic levels. He was Airborne, Ranger, Rigger, and Expert Infantryman qualified. Tim's overseas assignments included Korea, France, Germany, and Viet Nam. While serving in Viet Nam in an isolated village, enemy forces moved in and occupied the village. Tim had to hide out until allied forces reoccupied. Upon his return, he completed the Command and General Staff College, and the industrial College of the Armed Forces. He commanded at the Company, Battalion, Brigade and Theater levels. His distinguished career culminated with him being promoted to Major General and serving as the 40th Quartermaster General of the United States Army. In 2007, MG William T. McLean was inducted into the Quartermaster Hall of Fame.

Tim and Arlene had 5 children: Timothy, Tracy, Stephen, Veronica, and Susan. Tim inspired a strong ethic within our family of selfless service. Between Tim, his children and their spouses, and his grandchildren, there are a total of 151 years of active duty military service to our nation.  If you add in the Civic Service and Government Service provided by family members to our communities at the City and State levels, the hours are countless and the contributions are immeasurable.

Dad and Mom's choice to devote over three decades to Army life cultivated the close-knit nature of the immediate family. As we traveled the globe moving from one assignment to the next, we only had each other to rely on upon arrival to each duty station. But, by the time we departed each duty station, we made many dear friends and treasured memories that would carry each of us though our lifetime. We are blessed that Dad was able to show us the world, and provide us with a variety of experiences that most people never have in a lifetime.

ln 1989, after an illustrious 31 year career in the United States Army, Tim and Arlene retired and moved back to their home state of Montana. They settled in Butte, just 26 miles from where he grew up in Anaconda. He always fondly joked that relocating from Anaconda to Butte raised the IQ of both towns!

Tim and Arlene made the most of early retirement years by attending West Point Class reunions; traveling the world with friends and relatives, and taking the time to travel to the various locations where his children lived to visit them and their families. When they were not traveling, they loved entertaining family members in their beautiful home with numerous dinner parties for special occasions with relatives including the O'Brien, Keefe and the Bowman Clans. They also enjoyed numerous cruises. Most notably, was the Alaska cruise in 2018 that celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary with all their children and their spouses present.

In 2003, Tim and Arlene built a 5 bedroom, 4 bath summer home on the waterfront at Georgetown Lake, which the family refers to as "The Cabin". This was perhaps his favorite place on earth.  It served as the location for annual family gatherings and allowed Tim to spend precious time with his brothers and all their children and grandchildren. This is where Tim enjoyed one of the roles he cherished most ... Grandpa. Tim loved to hold the toddlers in his lap before they could walk. He taught every young grandchild how to hold a fishing pole and how to toast marshmallows by the campfire after sunset. As the kids grew into teenage years, Grandpa would take them on morning hikes, and sometimes on all day hikes up into mountain lakes. As the grandkids grew into young adults, he would go to bed early and let them stay down by the campfire until the wee hours of the morning. Then, he would get them up at the crack of dawn to go golfing … all the while smirking while watching the misery on their faces as they tried to play golf with very little sleep.

Tim enjoyed being active in the communities of Butte and Anaconda. He was an member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and enjoyed marching in the annual St Patrick's Day Parade in Butte. He was proud that he secured significant funds to help the restoration efforts at St Pat's Cemetery. Tim was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, and he was also an active member of Holy Spirit Catholic Parish in Butte. Tim enjoyed getting outdoors so every year he eagerly renewed his membership in the Anaconda Country Club, where he golfed twice a week with his daughter, Tracy, daughter-in-law, Kathi, and brother-n-law, Jack.

Life is about stories and Tim had legendary story-telling abilities. Sometimes it was a guessing game trying to figure out what was true and what was fiction. But, there was always some small thread of truth in every tall tale.

ln recent years, many of Tim's grandchildren took 4-wheeIers and side-by-sides up into the Hidden Lake Mining Camp area to see where their grandfather lived before he started school.  They were amazed to find remnants of log cabins, old shoes on the ground, and a few pots and pans. lt was clear and tangible evidence to the new generation of the lives of their grandfather and great-grandparents.

Tim McLean had a wonderful and full life, and he enjoyed every minute of it. He was a gentleman, a comedian, and a wise man fully committed to his family, his country, and his beliefs. He had a positive impact on all with whom he came in contact, and he will be sorely missed my many. The world is a better place for Tim McLean having been in it.  He raised a family while serving this country.  He could not have done it without the help of his wife Arlene.  The dynamic duo.  They were an inseparable team whose love and commitment to one another enabled them to breeze easily through all life's challenges.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Margret McLean, his brother Charles McLean, his brother Tim (Pick) Tracy, and his uncle Tim Tracy.

Tim is survived by his wife and best friend of 67 years, Arlene O'Brien McLean, his brothers Edward McLean (Sandy) of Missoula, MT, and Tracy McLean (Michaeleen) of Anaconda, MT.

He is also survived by his five children Timothy (Kimber) McLean, Tracy (Kathi) McLean, Stephen (Kathy) McLean, Veronica (Randy) Klinefelt, and Susan (John) Peters; his eleven grandchildren Brandy (Ryan) Ahmed, Michael Klinefelt, Emily Klinefelt, Charlie Klinefelt, Heather Peters, Joshua Peters, William (Kharas) Peters, Kandace (Tyler) Ashline, Marcus McLean, Lisa McLean, and Abigail McLean; his twelve great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of William T McLean to the Butte  Emergency Food Bank. Donations can be mailed to: 1019 E 2nd ST, Butte, MT 59701, or online at thebuttefoodbank.org

The family would like to thank Doctors Albrect, Hueftle, and Pullman for their specialty care in his last year of life. A special note of thanks to the team of Visiting Angels, especially Shaylee Burke, who spent so much time with him and offered companionship when he needed it most.   Another note of thanks for the team of health care professionals, at Enhabit Home Health and Hospice, and daughters Tracy and Susan for the  comfort care provided to Tim at home during in his last weeks. Last, but not least, we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the staff of the Springs Senior Living at Butte for their awesome, caring, and responsive support. Your efforts go above and beyond what would normally be expected and we cannot thank you enough.

Visitation for the Vigil begins on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM in the Duggan Dolan Mortuary Chapel. Parish Vigil will be recited at 6:00 PM. Visitation for the funeral begins on Monday, November 24, 2025, at 10:00 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 11:00 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Butte.

A note from Tim's family.  The loss of our loving father is beyond words.  He was and always will be the heartbeat of our family.  He was ever present in our lives and always sought what was best for us and our loved ones.  He will forever be missed.  But, he will live forever  in our hearts, minds, and conversations.