David A. Walter, 63
David A. Walter, 63, Helena research historian, writer and teacher, died of a heart attack Wednesday, July 19, 2006, at a Helena hospital.
Services for immediate family have been held. Friends are invited to a celebration of Dave's life at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 13, at the Montana Club in Helena.
Dave is survived by his wife, Marcella; daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Coby Ellison, of Tucson, Ariz.; daughter and son-in-law Emily Walter and Sergio Romero, of Missoula; daughter Amanda Walter and Cory Guthmiller, of Great Falls; grandchildren Rhain Walter, Guillermo Romero Walter and Rocko Guthmiller; and by brother Peter and family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Dorothy Walter.
Dave was born Jan. 1, 1943 - the first New Year's baby in Racine, Wis. He graduated from high school in Appleton, Wis., and received his BA from Wesleyan University, Connecticut, in 1965. From 1965 to 1977, Dave conducted graduate research under Montana historian K. Ross Toole at the University of Montana.
Dave's love for Montana began in the late 1940s when his family began camping at Bowman Lake in Glacier National Park. He moved to Montana permanently in 1965, spending the remainder of his life helping Montanans discover all the stories that comprise the mosaic of the state's past.
From 1979 until his death, Dave worked for the Montana Historical Society as a reference and research historian. He authored and edited hundreds of articles and a dozen books. For 20 years, Dave contributed a regular history column to Montana Magazine.
For over a decade, Dave traveled Montana as a Montana Committee for the Humanities Speakers' Bureau presenter. Although he always preferred research to administrative responsibilities, he contributed time to boards and committees.
The breadth and importance of Dave's work in Montana history research and education are reflected in the awards he received: an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of Montana in 1994, the Governor's Humanities Award in 1998, the H. G. Merriam Award for contributions to Montana literature in 2001 and the Montana Historical Society Educators' Award in 2003.
Dave took greatest pride in his work on Montana's World War II conscientious objector camps, the state's World War I Councils of Defense, the 1920s Ku Klux Klan movement and Jeannette Rankin.
Well known as a mentor, Dave reveled in helping Montana history students of all ages. He believed that we learn from our heroes and our villains; he celebrated the irony, humanity and humor he found in historical events.
Dave loved his family's North Fork of the Flathead property passionately and was its skilled steward. He never missed a Green Bay Packers or Atlanta Braves game on TV. He arrived at the Society each day in a button-down collar shirt and tie. He treasured helping his daughters with 4-H rabbit projects and their own research papers, cheering them on at sporting events and encouraging them in their vocations and avocations.
He measured himself and others by work accomplished, not titles. He was a steady, quiet champion of social justice, civil rights and nonviolence.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions either to the Dave Walter Memorial Fund, Montana Historical Society, P.O. Box 201201, Helena, MT 59620-1201 or the North Fork Preservation Association, c/o Ellen Horowitz, 880 Blackmer Drive, Columbia Falls, MT 59912.
Retz Funeral Home of Helena is in care of the arrangements.