He was a pilot, too, and member of the Montana Civil Air Patrol mountain search and rescue team. He later proposed and succeeded in preserving a spectacular grove of old growth ponderosa pines in the Swan Valley. Family photographs record him carrying his youngest children in the mountains in his well-worn pack. Of course, he shared his passion for the mountains with his family. Most summer Sundays found them in the mountains where he said he felt closest to God. They began leading hikes for the Montana Wilderness Association in the 1960s. He and Janet had a tent made from an orange and white parachute. He introduced many people to camping in his beloved mountains, particularly in Jewel Basin east of Kalispell in the Swan Mountains. Naturally, he was a conservationist, too. In addition, he climbed Mount Rainier with Lou Whittaker (co-founder of REI) and attempted British Columbia’s iconic Mount Robson with legendary Canadian mountaineer, Hans Gmoser. Nicholas and Mount Cleveland, respectively. He summited the park’s most difficult and highest peaks - Mount St. He was a patient, careful climbing leader who took many people up their first mountain. They had many friends in the Glacier Park community. He was listed in the first edition of “A Climber’s Guide to Glacier National Park” as one of two local authorities (along with Hal Kanzler) on routes in the park. He and Janet also were mountain climbing enthusiasts. Their family’s downhill and cross-country skis (including Head Standards and Miller Softs) once lined the basement ceiling of their home on Kalispell’s eastside. He and Janet volunteered to teach for the Kalispell Ski Club. He was a member of the Washington State University ski racing team, and later a fixture at Big Mountain above Flathead Valley, particularly when there was fresh powder. He was an avid, lifelong skier, starting at Mount Spokane. In addition to his long professional career, he had many interests, most of them outdoors. He wanted others to learn of the larger world, so, after returning to Kalispell, he gave slide shows and talks about Ceylon to children in Kalispell schools. He and Janet took their five children, the youngest a toddler, through Asia on the way there and Europe on the way home. The next year he accepted an invitation to return for one year to teach dentistry at the University of Peradeniya in Kandy. In 1968, he volunteered for Project Hope, bringing advanced healthcare to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He traveled to developing countries numerous times to provide volunteer dentistry or to teach it. For years he taught dental study clubs for others wanting to learn advanced crown and bridge work. He was honored twice by the Montana Dental Association as the state’s best clinician. Many people will remember him as a caring dentist who provided extraordinary care but kept his fees low for those that could ill afford it. He was preceded in death by his sister and her husband, Jean and Eric Anderson, formerly of Spokane. Survivors also include his brother, Terry, and his wife, Norma, of Yakima, Washington brother-in-law, Bob Hawkins, and wife Mickey, of Missoula and numerous nieces and nephews. Rob Downey and Devry Garity, and their children, Griffin and Iris, all of Homer, Alaska. Dan Downey and Andrea Simonsen and their daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Evan Helle, all of Dillon Mark Downey and Carol Roberts of Lolo Paul Downey and Heather Murray and their children, Lucy and Oscar, of Kalispell and Dr. He was a loving husband and father, survived by his wife of 63 years, Janet (Hawkins) Downey a daughter, Gail Steele, of Kalispell, and her children, David and Beth and her husband, Matt Sedlacek also, four sons and their families, Drs. No funeral is planned, but a celebration of his remarkable life will be held at 5 p.m. David Downey, a kind and generous man, adventurer, traveler, and retired, longtime Kalispell dentist, died peacefully at home Friday, July 27, 2018, from anemia.
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