Six Nations Mourns the Loss of Former Elected Chief William K. Montour
In the early morning hours of Sunday, January 8, 2023, former Elected Chief William (Bill) Montour passed away at the age of 81.
Chief Montour served twice as the Elected Chief of Six Nations of the Grand River, first from 1986 – 1991, and then again from 2007 – 2013. He also served as a Councillor during the 40th Elected Council beginning in 1976.
Born on Six Nations in 1941, Bill was the oldest of nine siblings. Growing up, he was a farmer and then worked as an iron worker for many decades. Before running for his first term on Elected Council, Bill was instrumental in the construction of the Six Nations Sports & Cultural Memorial Centre and was the President of the Six Nations Minor Hockey Association for many years.
Under his leadership as Chief, Six Nations began initial negotiations for the construction of the current schools on Six Nations, the Iroquois Village Plaza, the water treatment plant, and much more. Between his first and second terms as Elected Chief, Bill worked for the Assembly of First Nations and the Department of Indian Affairs in Ottawa.
Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council sends their deepest condolences to the Montour family, including Bill’s wife, siblings, children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by the community as a whole, and by his former colleagues who were fortunate enough to work with him during his time on Council.
“This is a tremendous loss for our community. Chief Bill Montour had such a way of bringing people together and truly embodied hard work and resilience,” said current Elected Chief Mark B. Hill. “He was always supportive of me in my journey on Council and was a huge influence on me when I was first elected in 2010. I will always be grateful for his mentorship, and I am sending my good thoughts and prayers to his many loved ones as we all grieve his loss together.”