Maurice Martin Davies

Maurice “Martin” Davies passed away peacefully in his home on August 8, 2026, leaving behind a family who loved him deeply, a ranch he was proud to call home, and a lifetime of stories that will be told for generations to come.

Martin was born in Burns, Oregon, on September 23, 1947, to Maurice and Norma

(Fitchett) Davies. He was the oldest of their children. His early years were spent in

Princeton, where he attended the Virginia Valley School. His family later moved to Durkee, Oregon, where he attended school until his seventh-grade year. When his parents purchased a dairy in Ontario, Martin eventually returned to Princeton, where the family purchased part of the Davies family ranch.

Martin graduated from Crane High School in 1965. He was a ranch kid through and through. He grew up around cattle, sheep, horses, and the work that came with them. Those early years shaped the man he would become—a man who knew how to work hard, take care of what was his, and get the job done without making much fuss about it.

After graduation, Martin was drafted into the United States Army on July 12, 1967. He completed basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, before being sent to St. Louis, Missouri, for further training. He was assigned to Company C, 4th Infantry Division, and served in Vietnam, where he was wounded in action. He returned home and was honorably discharged in February 1969.

Back in Princeton, Martin married Donna Moss in July of 1969. They had two sons, Matt and Jason. Following their divorce, Martin met Andrea, and the two were married in June of 1978. Together they built a life and raised their family, welcoming Luke, Megan, and Trey.

Martin was a family man in the truest sense of the word. Sundays were especially important because that was when everyone was home, and family things were done together. Whether it was working around the ranch, hunting, riding around the country, or simply being together, those ordinary days became some of the family’s most treasured memories.

He began driving mail for his family when he was just 16 years old. What started as a teenager helping out eventually became a 59-year career. Martin drove the M-W-F Denio route and the Frenchglen route on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In 1977, he purchased part of the family ranch and continued ranching and driving mail until his retirement in September of 2024.

Martin loved the ranch and the life that came with it. He enjoyed ranch rodeos, branding, hunting, working cattle, and being outside. He didn’t need much to be happy—a pickup, a piece of country, some cattle, and his family nearby was enough.

And then there were the stories.

Martin’s family will remember his dry humor, his way of looking at things, and the moments that could turn an ordinary day into a story everyone would laugh about for years. One of his favorite memories involved a successful deer hunt at Beckley’s. While attempting to load the deer into the pickup, they headed up the hill, trying to go unnoticed with all the lights off… When Martin put that truck in reverse to back up to the deer, the backup lights came on, and there stood Maurice, looking at me with eyes the size of saucers and an expression that said everything that needed to be said.

That was Martin. He could make you laugh without trying, and some of the best memories weren’t the big occasions at all. They were the little moments—the work, the hunting trips, the ranch, the Sunday gatherings, the drives down roads he had traveled a thousand times, and the time spent with the people he loved.

Martin was preceded in death by his son, Jason Davies, his parents Maurice and Norma (Fitchett) Davies.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Andrea; his children, Matt, Luke (Missy), Megan (Tyler), and Trey (Jamie); his grandchildren, Chad (Serina), Tara (Jake), Colton, Jaxon, Taylen, Cali, and Tell; his great grandchildren, Cannon, Carter, Tell, Tilly, Tabor, His brother, Lou (Mary Jo) and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Martin spent his life in the country he loved, doing the things he knew best—working, ranching, serving his country, driving the mail, hunting, and taking care of his family.

He didn’t need a lot of words to show people he cared. He showed it by being there. By working. By helping. By coming home. By keeping the family together.

His hat and boots may be hung up now, but the life he built, the land he loved, and the stories he left behind will continue on through his family.

He will be missed more than words can say, and he will never be forgotten.