Mac (Manuel) Souza passed away peacefully with family by his side on March 6, 2026 after a long, happy, and eventful life. Mac was born on the island of Maui in 1943 to Manuel and Clotilde Souza. He was the third generation of his Portuguese family to live on Maui. He had an older sister, Sylvia, and a younger brother, Jack. He spent his entire childhood on the island, much of it before Hawaii became our 50th state during simpler times and before it was discovered as a popular tourist destination. He graduated from Maui High in 1961 and left for the mainland shortly thereafter. After initially moving to Minnesota in the middle of January, he unsurprisingly left for San Francisco, CA. There, he liked to ride his Triumph motorcycle and ultimately found an apprenticeship opportunity at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard to learn his trade as a machinist. While there, he lived in a co-op, where he met Mary Anne Rowe, who had grown up in Kalispell, MT. He and Mary Anne married at Old St. Mary’s Church in San Francisco in 1964. They started their family in 1966, and eventually relocated to Billings, MT, in 1969 when he took a job as a machinist with Humble Oil & Refining Company (later Exxon).

Mac and Mary Anne had three sons, Jim, Jeff, and Rod. Mac worked at the Exxon refinery for 30 years, where he held a variety of roles before retiring as a process supervisor in 1999. During the 70’s and 80’s, Mac took up long-distance running and ran in many marathons, including the New York City Marathon. Later, he took up cycling. He was always proud of his well-groomed flower beds, trees, shrubs, and lawn. His house always had the best-looking yard in the neighborhood. Mac was a founding member of St. Bernard’s Catholic parish and was an active member of its Knights of Columbus chapter for many years.

After retiring, Mac and Mary Anne took up RVing and traveled to numerous destinations, both near and far. He also re-engaged his love of motorcycle riding, joining the local Harley Davidson riding club, and even attending the famous annual rally in Sturgis, SD. But, his favorite thing in retirement was being the world’s best grandpa. Mac was a strict disciplinarian as a father, but he was a creampuff as a grandpa. He would go on all of the rides at the Billings fair with the grandkids, especially the ones that were likely to induce nausea after saying, “Yes!” to every food vendor on the midway. He taught his grandkids how to drive in an old yellow VW bug that they would cruise around in his pasture and in area parking lots. Mac and Mary Anne always loved coming to Boise to visit Jim and Jeff and their families, often staying for weeks at a time. Mac became a great grandpa at age 76 and went back to story time and holding little ones at the end of his life. Mary Anne passed away in 2024 after a long illness, and Mac spent his final days in Meridian, ID.

Mac loved to talk about his youth in Hawaii, his siblings, numerous cousins, and friends. These stories were treasured by his children and grandchildren and anyone who would listen, especially when he delivered them in authentic Pidgin English, the informal dialect of the islands which made them infinitely more interesting and uproariously funny. He was extremely proud of his three sons, eight grandkids, and three great grandkids, and they were often on his mind and in his conversations. But the center of his life was his wife, Mary Anne. Mac and Mary Anne had a lifetime of adventures together—countless trips, concerts, and experiences—many with family, and many just as two lovebirds. She was the love of his life. Near the end of his life, someone asked him what love meant to him, and Mac said, “whatever Mary Anne needs.” Although we will miss him terribly, we are so happy that they are reunited once again.

Mac is survived by his brother, Jack (Sharon) Souza, his sons, Jim (Teri), Jeff (Kate), and Rod (Brittney), his grandchildren Stephanie (James), Tyler (Emily), Elliana (Timmer), Claire, Gabi, Abri, A.J., Vincent, and his great grandchildren Thomas, Ada, and David Manuel. The family would like to thank the amazing and compassionate staffs of Synergy Home Care in Billings and Touchmark Memory Care in Meridian.

Aloha a hui hou (Until we meet again), Dad / Grandpa / Great Grandpa!

In lieu of flowers of other memorials, please consider making a gift in his remembrance to: 

Special Olympics of Montana
PO Box 3507
Great Falls, MT 59403