Bombino, Davaz named 2019 Bulls of the Woods

PRIEST RIVER — Both men exemplify the timber industry, dedicating countless hours to their profession. Their careers revolved around the woods, around timber and around the community.

And, in the end, Priest River Chamber of Commerce officials decided that Leonard “Curly” Davaz and Robert Bombino both deserved to be named the 2019 Bull of the Woods. It’s the second time the chamber has had two Bulls of the Wood in a year.

“Bob is an old soul of this town, from seeing him in the grocery store to his daily cup of tea down at the local cafe, AJ’s,” his granddaughter Lily Bombino wrote in her nomination letter.

Bob got his started in the timber industry, logging for Joe Murrey in 1964. Learning most of his skills on the job, Bob could soon sod, skid, hook, drill, and jack hammer with the best of them as well as running a cat, blasting dynamite and building the necessary roads and bridges to get to and from the job sites.

Bob would go on to work for Harry Gropp, Ralf Brooks, Art Naccarato and Diamond International as well as working for Jim Akre, Ron MacDonald and Rick Pettit.

During his career, Bob would be among those who fought the devastating Sundance fire in 1967.

“He was stuck at the top of Sundance for three days with no food,” Lily wrote in her letter. “When those three long days were over, he and the rest of his crew were moved to Trapper Creek to help with the rest of this fire.”

Bob would work in the timber industry until 2002 and it shaped his life in many ways, his granddaughter said.

Leonard “Curly” Davaz has an equally extensive and impressive resume in the timber industry, all of which led to multiple nominations for the honor.

Curly began working in the woods as a gypo logger in 1957 and his daughter, Theresa Watson, remembers helping her day wash and shine his truck for the annual Loggers Celebration.

“It was a big event in our family,” Watson said. “Mom bought us kids matching outfits, dad drove his truck through the parade, and the whole town gathered down at the boat docks to watch the logging events.”

Curly, who owned C&D Logging with her “Uncle Fuzzy Cole,” had long days of driving truck and weekends maintaining equipment at the truck shop, which still sits behind Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant on Highway 2.

“Some of my favorite childhood memories is when dad came home in his logging truck after a long day’s work,” she wrote. “He was hot, dirty and tired. He’d grab his bar of soap and take us kids to the Mud Hold swimming, then to the Do Drop Inn for ice cream cones.”

Her father’s live revolved around the timber industry and there were many occasions where Curly would get a call from a fellow logger, then head to the shop to help them out. “I moved from being a child of a truck driver to a child whose dad took care of the loggers,” she wrote.

Ashley Scribner grew up listening to stories about her grandfather, now 86 years old. On one memorable occasion, her grandmother cut her hand while making Curly’s lunch and went into early labor. “Papa Curly, on his way to work, transported Grandma to the Newport Community Hospital in his logging truck on his way to the woods.”

When her mother was 6, Curly and Gladys bought “The Station,” also known as Curly’s Sales and Service, selling, repairing and sharpening STIHL chainsaws in addition to snowcats and a wide range of other equipment.

“Curly’s was a fixture in the Priest River logging community,” wrote Mary Jane Miller, whose husband worked in the woods and experienced firsthand the generosity and assistance given to loggers by Curly. “It was not only a place to pick up supplies and needs, but also socializing. You could hear who was hiring, where guys were working, catch up on all that was going on in the logging community. Curly Davaz created a business that was an integral part of the logging community and served the community well.”

A longtime friend said Davaz truly cares about the loggers, often letting them carry charge accounts for gas, etc. to help them get through the log spring breakups. Another friend noted that even when he left logging and bought the gas station, he still was involved in the timber industry.

“He made sure sawyers’ saw were well maintained and ready for them.,” wrote Robert Naccarato. “He tried to carry everything you need to get your logging jobs done.”

Active in the community and Logger Days, it’s time Curly be honored as Bull of the Woods.

“He has been involved in the logging industry since he finished high school, from logging to chain saw to snow cat sales and repairs” noted another friend, George Bews. “He was also involved in the betterment of the community; therefore, I think he deserves a pat on the back and a big community ‘thank you.” Being voted Bull of the Woods would be a great way to do that.”

Curly knew about logging even before he first entered the woods on his first day. His grandfather owned Logging Camp A on Leclerc Creek and both his father and stepfathers were loggers. “In fact, his stepfather, unbeknownst to his mother, mortgaged their home so Curly could purchase his first logging truck when Curly returned from the Korean War.”

Curly exemplifies the logging industry “from soup to nuts” wrote Roger Gregory in his nomination letter.

Growing up in the timber industry, Curly was involved in all aspects of it. “You name it and Curly either had done it or if not, he knew all about it. He was a ‘jack of all trades’ in the timber industry, from sawing, hauling and finally as a business owner.”

A friendly person, Curly was a true friend to both those in the industry and those who were not.

“You couldn’t make a better choice than Curly Davaz,” Gregory wrote.