Kenneth L. Davenport
May 6, 1928 – June 3, 2017
Ken passed away peacefully in Helena, Montana. He is survived by his three daughters, Ellen Sherron, Susan Toress, and Judith Davenport. He left five grandchildren, Megan Standish Reeves, Ben Standish, Emily Toress, Laura Torissi, and Charles Davenport, as well as five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his grandson Jesse Toress.
Ken was born to Elizabeth Brockel in Miles City, Montana, and adopted by Charles and Nora Davenport of Billings, Montana. By the time he was nine years old, it was clear Ken would not be happy, unless he was working. Ken often said that he learned his love for work from his father. Fishing on Crazy Creek and cooking buttermilk pancakes for his grandfather became a secondary passion. Ken’s desire for adventure was learned at an early age when he rode his bicycle down the Beartooth highway at age 14.
Ken began his career by delivering the Billings Gazette and working part-time for Volly’s Nursery. The summer he was 15, he and five friends crowded into a 1929 Ford Coupe Model A with a rumble seat and headed for the Coeur d’Alene National Forest in Idaho to join the U.S. Forest Service. By the time Ken’s supervisor discovered he was under the age limit, he had already worked his way up from blister-rust-control employee to telephone maintenance, fire suppression, and crew-truck driver. He had made himself indispensable and returned to work the following two summers, mainly because he truly enjoyed the fact that the government gave him all the bacon and ham, and ham and bacon, that he could eat. Plus, Ken wanted to see if his best friend, Dr. Willy, would get trapped at the top of the fire tower, for messing with the local bear.
He graduated from Billings Senior High in 1945, then entered the Navy V5 program and attended a special military program at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. In 1946, he was transferred to the University of California at Berkeley to continue his education. Ken used the GI Bill to attend Montana State University, in 1947. Ken received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Montana State University in 1950.
He married Jill Sutton in 1948. They worked as a successful team for 60 years, but divorced in 2010.
In 1949, he worked as a sales manager for Yellowstone Motor Sales, which was owned by Mickey Cochrane, the Hall of Fame catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Detroit Tigers. One of Ken’s favorite stories was the time that he picked up the great Babe Ruth at the Grand Hotel and drove him to Cobb Field, in Billings, MT.
In 1952, he became the youngest Ford and Mercury dealer in the United States when he started Davenport Motor Sales in Big Timber, Montana.
In 1956, he sold the dealership and formed a new company, Timberweld Manufacturing. He bought a 25,000 sq. ft. government-surplus building in Columbus, MT, and began making wood-laminated roofing beams and arches.
Montana is a large state, so Ken became a licensed pilot to more easily travel for business. He was an avid aviator and enjoyed taking his family on excursions to places like Canada, Mexico, and Colorado.
In 1963, Ken moved his family to California to take a new job. Ken successfully ran several companies, until he decided to enter the real estate development business. However, Ken’s heart yearned to return home to Montana.
A committed hunter and fisherman his entire life, he spent many happy days tracking elk in Montana’s spectacular mountains and catching trout from its rivers. In 1981, he returned to Montana. He bought and lovingly developed the Circle 5 Ranch—a 2,500-acre cattle ranch near Big Timber. In 1997, he added the nearby 1430-acre Elk Creek Ranch. It was at this ranch that the PBS series, “Frontier House” was filmed.
Ken helped fund, raise money and build the Crazy Mountain Museum in Big Timber, MT. In 2008, Ken purchased the Wineglass Ranch, in Helmville, MT. Ken’s civic mindedness and desire to be of greater assistance to the Florence Crittenton Home, brought Ken to live full time in Helena, MT. Ken enjoyed watching Carrol Football games on weekends (talking fishing and football with Coach Van Diest) and spending time at the Wineglass Ranch. You couldn’t ever talk to Ken without him telling a fishing or hunting story.
Ken had a love for traveling, even if it was just an afternoon drive to Manhattan to pick up another case of spuds. You could never leave Ken’s house without first taking some potatoes from the “potato box” near doorway.
Ken’s love of fishing continued to his final days. He enjoyed fishing the Missouri with his dear friends, Kathleen, Dr. Willy and Joel, which enhanced and invigorated his life and his stories, like the time Ken tried to cut Kathleen’s line because she was catching all the fish. Ken never shied away from telling anyone that would listen, one of his many outdoor adventures.
Ken always spoke about his family and his love for them continues to this day.
A celebration of Ken’s life will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, 2017 at Plymouth Congregational Church, 400 S. Oakes St., Helena, MT 59601. A community dinner of baked potato buffet will follow the service. Please contact the church for more information: 406-442-9883. Memorials in honor of Ken are suggested to the Florence Crittenton Home at 901 N. Harris St., Helena, MT 59601, (406) 442-6950 or the Plymouth Church 400 S. Oakes St., Helena, MT 59601, (406) 442-9883. Please visit below to offer a condolence to the Davenport family or to share a memory of Ken.
Klaas and Johanna Kloosterhof says
Our sympathy to family and friends of Kenneth.
A dear friend has left us.
Nancy Foley says
To the family of Kenneth Davenport. My family sends their deepest sympathy to you. Our thoughts and prayers goes out to you. John 5:29
Christine and Terry Wilensky says
Ken was so generous and loved to tell stories. He was a gracious host and loved his sour cream pie. He will be missed.
Mike and Diane Langenfus says
Ken was a kind and generous man. My sincere condolences to his family.
Kristi D. Menix says
The children of Bob and Betty Davis (deceased), Rolla, Kristi, Susan, Kelly, and Tracy, send our condolences to Kenny’s family. Our parents managed Ken’s Sweet Grass County/Big Timber ranch for 8 years. Prayers that Ken will rest in peace.
Peter Lema says
To the Davenport family October 2020
Please accept my sincere sympathies on the death of Ken
My wife Anne Lyndon was a first cousin of Ken’s (very close as they were both adopted…special)
We had ocassion to visit the Davenports in Montana several times…..with return visits as well (including their whole family attending our wedding in August 1960 in Edmonton, Alberta
Anne died 6 years ago……and now Ken joins her !!
Peter Lema
Candie Garcia says
I didn’t know Kenneth passed away. My deepest condolences to the entire family and all who knew him. He crossed my mind, and I googled him because I no longer had a contact phone number. He made a trip out to Albuquerque NM I believe it was in 2011 or 2012 during the wintertime. He said it was too cold back home and he wanted to enjoy some nice weather. I used to work at the Walgreens near his residence. He came in with a shopping list and asked where an item was. I walked him to the item. He walked very slowly. He said he was going to get hip replacements. I walked him through the store helping him find his things. I offered my assistance to him while he was in town. I helped him do his shopping at Walmart a few times as well. We attended an Art Fest and Art Gallery where he purchased several pieces of art to donate to the Florence Critten Home. He shared his life story with me. We invited him over for a homemade traditional NM meal, chicken enchiladas. He enjoyed them. He also prepared a meal that he said was one of his favorites, chicken dumplings. He was a wonderful person full of life, memories and joy. It was an honor to have met him.