Bill J Davidson

Bill Davidson passed away suddenly March 3, 2016 in Pocatello.

He was born October 6, 1933, in St. Anthony, to CC and Mary Davidson. They named him William Joseph because Mary wanted a boy she could call Willy-Joe, but the name never stuck: everyone called him Billy, then just Bill. Bill grew up on a riverfront farm below Ashton dam, attended school in Ashton, and graduated from North Fremont High School in 1951. His family and Fremont County gave him his love for wildlife.

After a year at the University of Idaho, Dad sought life skills and a European vacation. His Army service 1952-56 was to post-war restoration Germany in the 17th Armored Engineers. The Army reinforced his sense of duty and character, and gave him skills he'd never use again: bridge repair, fortification demolition, cooking with C4 explosives, and German drinking songs. Bill returned to Moscow, taking advice to do what he'd love, earning a BS in Wildlife Management. Idaho Fish and Game hired him in 1960.

Bill met Jean Abrams in 1959 while doing mule deer surveys near Rupert, Idaho. Jean captured the avowed bachelor, and they married in 1962. They had three children (Marjanna Hulet, Darryl and Darryn Davidson), who were the pride and joy of his life.

They lived in Malad, Pinehurst, Salmon, then 43 years in Pocatello. He was a fisheries manager, a conservation officer, a big game biologist, and regional manager. In his words, Bill was lucky enough to float the Middle Fork of the Salmon four times, fly above deer and elk range, trap and tag wildlife, swap hunting and fishing stories with everyone he met, and drive the Idaho backroads, "and they paid me to do it!!!" Bill's passion, knowledge and focus for wildlife opened doors and forged partnerships with sportsmen, tribal leaders, environmentalists, politicians, farmers and ranchers.

Among his projects, Bill reintroduced wild turkeys into eastern Idaho, and transplanted mountain goats from Idaho into the Olympics in Washington. Washington police gave him a full motorcade escort to rush his precious cargo through city traffic, ending with officers meekly asking ‘can we see them before you go?'

Never one to leave his work at the office, Dad gave us a childhood bottle-feeding orphaned deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats. When problem bears and beaver needed transplanting, they'd spend the night in our driveway. But his job also meant we never fished or hunted opening day. We learned that life was often zero sum: a lucky rabbit meant a hungry hawk. And we knew wildlife, their food, their preferences, and their tracks, having learned these at his side.

At first glance, Bill had a bureaucrat's resume, but wildlife was the common thread. He served on Idaho Rivers United, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, INL's Citizen Advisory Board, Ducks Unlimited, the Idaho Wildlife Council, Three Rivers RC&D, Bannock Waterways Committee, and the City of Pocatello Open Space Committee. He measured antlers for Boone & Crockett and Pope and Young. He is one of the founders of Idaho Conservation League and the Sagebrush Steppe Regional Land Trust.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jim (Lucille) Davidson, and two older sisters, Elizabeth Kidd Morgan (Ashton, Salmon) and Eileen Davidson (Seattle). He is survived by his best friend and beloved wife of 54 years, Jean Davidson; brothers Edward (Ellen) Davidson, Salt Lake City, and John (Vickie) Davidson, Idaho Falls; his baby sister Paula (Gene) Christiansen, Pocatello; three children: Marjanna (Barry) Hulet, Pocatello, Darryl (Adrien) Davidson, Idaho Falls, and Darryn Davidson, Los Angeles; and his five adored grandchildren: Cedar, Colter, Kestrel, Ella and Maria.

A viewing will be held Sunday evening from 6-8 pm at the Wilks Funeral home, 211 Chubbuck Road, and again Monday at 10 am at the LDS Church on Walnut and Jefferson. The funeral service will follow at 11 am, followed by interment at Mountain View cemetery. Family and friends are invited to attend a luncheon at 1:30 at the church, where we will share stories, laugh, and sing some of Dad's favorite songs.

In lieu of flowers, friends can honor his memory best with donations to Sagebrush Steppe Regional Land Trust, and with redoubled efforts to remove "That Damn Ditch" through the middle of Pocatello.

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