David Walter

David A. Walter, 63, a Helena-based research historian, writer and teacher died of a heart attack July 19, 2006, at a Helena hospital.

Dave was born Jan. 1, 1943, in Racine, Wis. He graduated from high school in Appleton, Wis., and received his bachelor's 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. Dave loved his family's North Fork property and was its skilled steward.

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.

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.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Dorothy Walter.

Dave is survived by his wife, Marcella; daughter Heather Ellison and husband Coby, of Tucson, Ariz.; daughter Emily Walter and husband Sergio Romero, of Missoula; daughter Amanda Walter and Cory Guthmiller, of Great Falls; grandchildren Rhain Walter, Guillermo Romero Walter and Rocko Guthmiller; and his brother Peter Walter and family.

Services for the immediate family have been held. Friends are invited to a celebration of Dave's life Aug. 13 at 3 p.m. at the Montana Club in Helena.

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.