County loses a quiet icon
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December 31, 2012 |
Darvie McAbee, age 90, passed away in his humble
home north of Three Mile on Saturday. He was a
waif, a little guy few of us had the privilege
to know. He didn't draw attention to himself,
though he had claim to fame. Many of us older
folks grew up with him, and didn't even know it.
Can't find his picture on the web, scant mention
of his name. He isn't from here, but on passing
through a few times with his more famous
friends, he saw Bonners Ferry as a special
place. He stopped running here ... bought a
house and made it home.
He was with a big guy named Dan Blocker when he
passed through for the first time, both bound
for Canada on a search for investment
properties. Darvie, a guitar, banjo and fiddle
virtuoso from South Carolina, looked around, and
said "I like this place."
He stayed here, and found home.
He traveled south in May, '72 to attend his good
friend Dan's funeral, and he joined the nation
in bidding farewell to the beloved "Bonanza"
icon. They'd both been with the show since it
first aired in 1959. Dan the beloved star,
Darvie a background man.
Darvie could be seen at times in the background,
most often as one of the ubiquitous musicians
adding to the scene, but never the focus. Many
of the songs heard in the background that gave
the show so much character featured Darvie's
uncredited picking.
Little Joe Michael Landon came to Boundary
County a time or two, so did Ben Cartwright ...
this one of the few places people of such note
could come and visit an old friend and not be
overwhelmed by fans.
Darvie loved that about this place.
Funeral Services for Darvie McAbee will be held
at 11 a.m. January 5, at the Bonners Ferry
Funeral Home, 6485 Harrison Street, with
interment in the Washington State Veterans
Cemetery in Medical Lake, Washington.
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