Wednesday, October 28, 2009

SDCA founder Dick Davidson: 1930-2009


IMG_7050
Originally uploaded by Iron Bieso
The South Dakota Canoe Association lost a large and important part of its history earlier this month when Dick Davidson passed away. He was 79.

Dick was a long-time canoe enthusiast whose efforts to get a club of paddlers going in South Dakota continue with every cruise, meeting, and endeavor we continue to perform or host. He was a quiet man, but one whose adventures spoke for him.

He established the SDCA with friends in 1981 and served as president for many years. In addition to his efforts setting up canoe and kayaking events in-state, he also led and took part in truly mind-blowing adventures across the dangerous barrens of the Canadian Northwest Territories.

IMG_7049

Even though he no longer put paddle to water, Dick was still an active part of our club, hosting board meetings stopping out at our paddling fairs, and sharing his tales of the Arctic at our annual meetings.

He will be missed. We invite all SDCA members to share their memories of Dick here in the blog and we will dedicate the next issue of our newsletter to his memory.

P6010245