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He was born on Barker's Creek in North Carolina on June 7, 1916, where he learned the art of moonshining. In 1935, he left home in a 1928 Chevrolet which was packed with six other people for his first road trip of many to Washington state. After a short career in logging in Washington, he moved on to Centennial Valley in Montana to deliver mail and then worked around Dillon as a supplier to sheep herders.
When WWII commenced, he joined the Army in 1940 and served as an MP in Monterrey, where he met his future wife, Adeline, before shipping overseas to the European theater to direct traffic in the war zone.
After his discharge in 1945 with a Good Conduct Metal and two Bronze Stars, he returned to North Carolina and then went to California, where he married Adeline, fathered a son, Homer Jr., and five years later a daughter, Sandra.
After trucking a short while in Los Angeles, the urge to return to Montana overcame him. He ranched and later bartended in Dunk Chisholm's bar in Jordan, Montana. Managing bars became his employment until retirement.
He was owner of the Halfway House with brother Lee and then after selling the Halfway House, moved on to manage the VFW in Troy and later the one in Whitefish, Montana.
Shortly after retiring from the Whitefish VFW, he moved to Alaska to spend a winter and a summer before returning to Montana. He spent one more summer in Alaska digging for gold and then returned to Troy and spent most of his remaining years near the Halfway House owned by Billy Joe, his best friend and nephew.
He enjoyed camping on the Yaak, especially on Pete Creek, with his foster children, Bruce and Tony and their families. Near Pete Creek, he has a campground named in his honor.
Also, by this time he had perfected his stories about his youth in North Carolina, his days in the Army, and his bartending days in Troy and dearly loved sharing them with family and friends. During this time, his moonshine skills were revived, which he used to brew more than a few batches of his treasured Grandpa Davis' “recipe.”
Surviving immediate family are Sandra and her husband, Doug Dasher, New Mexico, Homer Jr. and Maggie Davis, Montana, Tony and Edamae Davis, Idaho, Bruce and Natalie Davis, North Dakota, and Billy Joe Davis, Troy, grandchildren Melissa Gloria, Josh Davis, Keshia Holt, April and Mindy Dixon and 13 great grandchildren.
Homer T, your stories, your humor and your moonshine will be sorely missed by many.
Services for Homer were held August 17 at the Troy Church of God. Arrangements were under the care of Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home of Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.