Richard Allan 'Dick' Davies, 75
Our friend, Dick Davies, 75, passed away Thursday, March 6, 2025, at Logan Health in Kalispell after 29 courageous years of living with Parkinson's disease.
He was born on Dec. 28, 1949, in Kremmling, Colorado, the second son of Parker Nelson Davies and Eugenia Doris Combs Davies.
Dick grew up and attended school in Billings, graduating from Billings West High in 1968. The family spent a great deal of time camping, hunting, fishing, and skiing and enjoying the outdoors and nature in general. Dick was a member of the Cub Scouts, Eagle Scouts and Junior Rifle Club where he qualified for NRA Marksman First Class and Sharpshooter, winning several shooting competitions both before and during college. His mother called him "Dead Eye Dick" as he seldom missed his target.
He was accepted to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in 1968 where he majored in biology. He spent summers away from Dartmouth working seasonally for the Forest Service spending most of his time in Shafer Meadows and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. He graduated from Dartmouth in 1972 after which he worked for an outfitter for a year, spending most of his time in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. He continued to work for the Forest Service in the Spotted Bear Ranger District, mostly in the back country on trail and fire crews, and as a station guard at Shafer Meadows.
In 1974, Dick earned a teacher's certificate for biology and science. He did some substitute teaching but by then, he had pretty much decided that he wanted a career with the Forest Service. That year he also found a faithful companion in his Norwegion Elkhound, Freya. He was devastated when he lost Freya in the summer of 1975.
While working at the Spotted Bear Ranger Station, he met Carol "Cookie" Collins, who was also working at Spotted Bear. Dick and Cookie were married in September of 1975. In early 1976 they bought their property near the north end of Swan Lake. They continued to work for the Forest Service on the Swan Lake Ranger District while building their home, raising horses, chickens, rabbits, geese and even trying a couple cows.
Dick was assigned back to Shafer Meadows as Station Guard in 1988. It was his dream job, as he had come to love Shafer. After one season in Shafer, he was assigned to the Glacier View Ranger District to do data management. He was not particularly fond of sitting in an office. His ongoing interest in fire management sent him on many wildland fire assignments from coast to coast. He trained and supervised many young firefighters, was an advocate for fairness in the workplace and worked to help his coworkers advance in their careers.
He was promoted to assistant fire management officer at Tally Lake Ranger District in 1997, and in 2004 was promoted to fire management office at the Swan Lake Ranger District. He retired from Swan Lake in February of 2006. He acquired many friends over the years working for the Forest Service and considered the Forest Service his "family."
Dick is survived by his wife, Cookie “Carol,” of 49 years, his dog, Cub, and his big brother, Parker "Skip" and Carla Davies, nieces, Carolyn and Catherine, and numerous cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Parker Nelson and Doris Davies, and most recently, his Auntie Minta.
Dick and his beautiful and sincere smile will be forever missed. He was loved by many and is surely an example of a life well lived.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.
He has been cremated, and a memorial service and celebration of life will be held in the early summer, time and place to be announced.
The family suggests any memorial contributions be made in Dick's name, to any Parkinson's disease or animal rescue organization.
You are invited to visit the Buffalo Hill Funeral Home website at www.buffalohillfh/obituaries.com to share memories and offer condolences.