Lake has lost a true friend

A longtime friend of Priest Lake, David Bryant, died March 11.

I received the first phone call the next day with the news and numerous e-mails requesting that I post more information regarding Dave. To do that, I decided to meet Dave’s daughter, Kathleen, to find out more of this gentleman who will be missed by so many.

Dave Bryant left behind journals that talk about Priest Lake and North Idaho, about his adventures, places and people he met. Kathleen shared with me that the family might some day publish them. She added: “Dad was a typical Irishman who valued eloquence more than affluence.”

A local historian, Dave was inducted into the Priest Lake Hall of Fame in 2003 in honor of his community involvement and commitment.

The second of five children, he was born on May 4, 1914, in Priest River. His first trip to Priest Lake was in 1921, when, at age 7, he and his older brother, Bud, rode the Beardmore Stage up the old East Side Road to Coolin and then endured an interminable boat ride to visit their father who was working at the Dalkena Lumber camp at Distillery Bay that summer. They arrived at the camp north of West Twin Island, after what seemed to be a trip that lasted for days, and then spent 10 days playing, swimming, fishing and relishing great camp cooking. Dave’s arrival at Priest Lake preceded by two years that of silent screen actress, Nell Shipman’s.

In 1921, Coolin was a busy jumping-off place for most of the activity on the lake. Leonard Paul’s mercantile had already been operating for 15 years. The Marina was operated by Art Moore, Paul’s brother in-law. Ida Handy and Mary Hodge were in business, as were a sawmill, the Northern Hotel and the Priest Lake Ranger Station.

As a boy in Priest River, Dave enjoyed a happy childhood, playing baseball, hiking, searching for arrowheads, fishing at Keyser’s Slough, ice skating and snowshoeing in the winter months, and occasionally tipping over outhouses on Halloween with fellow conspirators. He never complained about his chores, which included splitting and carrying wood to feed two stoves, and toting water from the spring. During the Depression, it was said that David and his older brother did their part to keep the town of Priest River alive by hunting deer to provide meat for those who could not provide for their own.

After a brief, adventure-filled trip to Indiana, where he and his brother tried out for the Notre Dame football team (and did survive the first cut), their lack of employment and funds caused them to return home. David then attended Washington State College, where he met his beloved Margaret Manning.

They wed in July 1941 and honeymooned in a cabin at Faris’ Resort, which was later to become Hill’s Resort at Luby Bay. One evening, Dave and Margaret were guests of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Olson at their home near Coolin, where, around a beach campfire they were introduced to a couple named Mr. and Mrs. Fred Meyer, who at the time owned a small grocery store in Portland.

Reluctant to leave their private honeymoon cottage, David and Margaret said their goodbyes and paid the Farises the exorbitant sum of $24 for a seven-day stay.

While living in Priest River for the next few years, David worked in the woods and on the Priest River log drives and eventually moved to Spokane. The Bryants acquired property on Bear Creek Bay at Priest Lake in 1967, then retired and became year-round residents in 1977.

The Bryants were accessible and quick to help any and all in need and were tireless in their affiliation with community events around the lake as members of the Grange, Chamber and dedicated volunteers at the Priest Lake Library and Museum.

David lost his wife after 61 years of marriage. He chose to continue to live at the lake at Bear Creek Bay, surrounded by the memories and nature he always loved. He enjoyed the visitations of his five children, 16 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, who all adored him and enjoyed his stories and knowledge of history and local folklore.

He was a rare soul whose integrity, honor, ready wit and thoughtfulness were so appreciated by those fortunate enough to know him. He was indeed a gem and an institution at Priest Lake and will be missed and remembered by many.

I believe that Priest Lake has a memory, a memory of stories that have been recorded and that they will be forever a part of this place, as long as we have people willing to share them, like Dave Bryant did, by telling and passing them on, as the lake churns.