The man who would become a giant in Montana archaeology started his life humbly. He was born to Wilma and Beryl Davis on December 7, 1935, in Cut Bank, Montana. Beryl worked in the oil refineries of Kevin near sunburst, and they lived, as Les described it, “In a tarpaper shack”. Later they moved to Cut Bank where Les attended elementary and high school. He sang in the school choir, was editor of the yearbook, and became the first member of his family to attend college. Summers were spent working on his grandfather’s farm, in Shelby. He loved the land, and that, as well as encouraging advice from teachers led to two degrees in cultural anthropology from the University of Montana, Missoula.
After several jobs in Browning and Havre, he became an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Montana State College in Bozeman. While teaching, he enrolled in the Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated in 1972 with a Ph.D. in North American Archaeology. In 1978 he was promoted to full professor, and a few years later was appointed Curator of Anthropology and Ethnology at the Museum of the Rockies.
In his 37 years of teaching, he inspired hundreds of students, and conducted more than 40 field site investigations involving professional and student assistants. His academic and public service awards were abundant. His papers, books, and lectures fill many pages in his resume.
In an article published by the Independent Record in 2012 he said “I am a professional humanist. I see the humanities and arts going together, they’re what make us human. They’re not secondary to life. Without the humanities and art, you might was well be an automaton”.
Les was never an automaton. He was devoted to his work, made many discoveries, and most of all was an inspiration to his friends, students and colleagues. He died just two months short of his 79th year. He continued to work and had many papers and books in progress. It remains to those left behind to “pick up the towel” and carry on. He leaves a legacy of hard work and iron determination as well as a wife, Pamela, and three children from a first marriage: Paula Holland (Stan), Michael Davis (Yong) and Kathy McChesney (Shaun) and their children. He also leaves numerous house cats which were substitutes for the Bengal Tiger he actually wanted.
Les would have thanked all of you: friends, relatives, colleagues, students and mentors for making his life a full one filled with adventure and discovery.
A memorial service celebrating Les’ life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, October 16, 2014 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 512 Logan Street. A reception will follow the memorial service in the social center of the church. He requested that his ashes be scattered, where legal, at every site he ever dug. Memorials in Les’ name are suggested to the Montana Archaeology Society, PO BOX 2123, Billings Montana 59103 or donate online at www.mtarchaeologicalsociety.org.
Mike Burke says
Dear Mike and Family,
So sorry to hear of Les passing away. He was a great guy and I learned alot from him and you as well about the great outdoors in Montana. I realize too that he was a very respected professional educator at MSU and made great contributions to that school and the archeology profession.
I’ll never forget the good times I shared with your dad and you on the Marias River and the laughs we had and the stories told around the campfire. God bless and again sorry for your loss.
Mike Burke
Mike davis says
Mike. As I talked to Steve AAberg yesterday, I thought of you. I too think very highly of my dad. He has been an exceptional mentor for me. He has been my best friend and and a wonderful dad. For too many reason to list, I will forever miss him. Thank you for your kind words and thoughts.
Ann M. Johnson says
Good obituary as it captures in brief the important features of Les’ life. He was my friend for over 50 years and I miss him.
Everett Converse says
I wanted to say I had the pleasure of hanging with Les many a hunts as a young green horn pup snicker. He endured my high energy hyperactive hunting antics and acted as calm and cool as ever could be expected. As the sibling of one of his best feats of creation (Mike)I had the pleasure to learn from and experience a great man and will never forget good times we had. My thoughts are with you and be sure that Les will be encouraging all he knew to go for the best we all can do.
ETC, aka Pup Snicker
Jeri Gunlickson Dalbec says
Thoughts and prayers are with your family. Les was one of the nicest classmates that I had while attending school in Cut Bank in the 40’s and a couple of years in the 50’s. I remember him as a very smart young guy. He certainly had an interesting life. May he Rest in Peace.
Jeri
Pat McAlister says
Pamela,
I am very sorry to hear of Les’ passing. We met you and I visited with Les when we came to bring him our class of 54′ book that my husband did for us.
Our prayers are with you.
Pat
Matthew J Root says
Les was a remarkable colleague and friend. I had the privilege of working with Les on many research projects, a few of which are still in the works. I will do my best to pick up the trowel and finish those for Les.
He worked tirelessly. He always seemed to be calling to talk about three or four projects that were in the works or recently finished and off to the presses. We talked often. As he considered his own health and mortality, he was concerned about finishing the reports on his many excavations. We will have to trowel through all of Les’ piles of papers in his office and carry on his work. I know that was his wish.
May peace be with Pamela, Les’ children, family, and all of his many friends and colleagues.
Steve Armstrong says
Les was my major professor while an undergrad student at Montana State University in Bozeman. I worked for and with him during my MSU days in the anthropology lab during the school years and then in the field as a crew member and his field supervisor for 6 seasons (1987-1992). He always had a good story about archaeology, field work, archaeologists, or life in general…he gave me many opportunities to gain more experience in archaeology during my time at MSU and continued supporting me in grad school and beyond. He is/was a legend in Montana archaeology and will be missed.
Ken Karsmizki says
So sorry to hear Les is gone. For me Les was a teacher, mentor, colleague, and most of all a friend. I can remember countless hours of conversation during windshield time on the way to sites, meetings, and conferences. More hours at field sites primarily in Montana. Hours upon hours in meetings at the Museum of the Rockies. Les was a believer in dreams and not a month passes that Les is in one or more of my dreams. We’re working on exhibits, or refining papers and presentations. More often than not we’re processing a backlog of artifacts. He taught me so much about public speaking and dealing with the public, particularly collectors. I will miss the opportunity to see Les again but I have been imprinted by 35 years of enjoying his company. I expect to see him again in my dreams where we continue to collaborate.
Bruce Eng says
I’m so sorry to hear of Les’ passing. I was a graphic designer at MSU in 1985 when I first began working with Les. When I left MSU in 1996 to be Mr. Mom, we continued our working relationship and friendship. I remember him driving to my house in his Audi sports car and later in his Cadillac, with what seemed to be his whole office in the trunk of his car. It usually only took him a minute to find what he was looking for in the seemingly disorganized stack of papers. Aside from work, we had many conversations about a great variety of things while relaxing on the deck. He was such an interesting and engaging guy, and I truly valued his friendship.
Daniel Smith says
I was so sorry to hear of Les’ passing. I still can’t believe I won’t see him again though his spirit lives on. I had a video production company in Bozeman for many years and worked with Les on a number of projects. We did re-creations of paleoindians, filming of atlatl competitions, and interviews at hot excavation sites and in dark caves. He was a great man and I will fondly remember many enjoyable lunches we had at Perkins Restaurant. Les was amazingly prolific, but I know he had many projects that he wanted to finish. I hope to publish some of his writing and video that we were developing to help tell the stories of first Montanans. I’m working on it now and it will be on a website called: thisisyellowstone.com. It won’t be online until at least early 2015 but I hope to present some of his work there. I only wish Les could see it! Rest easy, Les…
Jason W. Smith, Ph.D. (Archaeology) says
Les would be happy to know that his obsidian hydration dates for Ice Mountain have been recently confirmed by radiocarbon dates on the key site.