Datus C. Proper

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Datus C. Proper
Born
Datus C. Proper

April 18, 1934 (1934-04-18)
Des Moines, Iowa
DiedJuly 27, 2003 (2003-07-28)
Bozeman, Montana
Alma materCornell University (B.A. in English, 1956), George Washington University (M.A., 1978)
OccupationPolitical analyst, writer
EmployerU.S. State Department
Known forWhat the Trout Said

Datus C. Proper (1934-2003) was a political analyst with the U.S. State Department Foreign Service, an outdoors writer, and a fly fisherman.

Early life and education[]

Datus C. Proper was born on April 18, 1934 to William Glisan Proper and Marjorie Carryer Proper in Des Moines, Iowa.[1] He Proper grew up in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota,[1] and Yellowstone National Park.[2] He then earned a scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.[3] When he graduated, he moved on to Cornell University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1956.[2]

Foreign Service career[]

After Proper graduated from Cornell University, he joined the U.S. State Department.[2] As a Foreign Service officer[4] and political analyst,[1] he traveled to Angola, Brazil, Portugal and Ireland.[4] While with the State Department, Proper also received an M.A. from George Washington University and completed a course of study at the National War College in 1978.[1]

Proper retired from the State Departmentin 1987.[5] Following his retirement, Proper and his family moved to the Gallatin Valley in Montana, where he began a full-time career as a writer.[1]

Writing career[]

During Proper’s time with the State Department, he wrote and published a number of sporting articles as well as his first book, What the Trout Said.[1] After becoming a full-time writer, Proper was a regular contributor to Field and Stream Magazine[4] and wrote hundreds of articles for other outdoors publications.[1] He also wrote several more books.[1]

Personal life[]

Proper met his future wife, Anna Therese Collins, in Ireland while he was serving in the country with the U.S. State Department.[2] In 1975, the couple married, and they had two sons.[1]

Later years[]

Just before his death, Proper completed a rough draft of a new book on hunting.[3] On July 27, 2003, Datus Proper drowned while fishing in the Hyalite Creek outside of Bozeman, Montana.[2] According to authorities, he slipped on rocks and hit his head.[4]

Selected publications[]

  • Proper, Datus C. Running Waters. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2001.
  • Proper, Datus C. Pheasants of the Mind : A Hunter's Search for a Mythic Bird. Limited ed. Bozeman, MT: Wilderness Adventures Press, 1994.
  • Proper, Datus C. The Last Old Place : A Search through Portugal. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992.
  • Proper, Datus C. What the Trout Said about the Design of Trout Flies and Other Mysteries. 1st ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1982.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Scott, Kim Allen. “Biographical Note.” Datus C. Proper Papers, 1864-2003. Montana State University, Special Collections and Archival Informatics, 2010.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Brown, Kellyn. “Wildlife Author Dies Doing What He Loves.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle, July 29, 2003. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/wildlife-author-dies-doing-what-he-loves/article_efdd9c3d-4c30-5350-a3b7-0bfa3316404e.html.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Vang, Paul. “Out There: A Tribute to One of Montana's Greats.” Montana Standard, August 14, 2003. https://mtstandard.com/lifestyles/recreation/out-there-a-tribute-to-one-of-montanas-greats/article_0f508e88-1327-5caa-9411-ac12cd724e51.html.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d “Of Note: Datus Proper.” The Washington Post. WP Company, August 2, 2003. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2003/08/02/of-note/1243ec52-1396-4871-b62b-f122bb19c6ba/.
  5. ^ “Datus C. Proper.” Pilates for Everyone. Pilates in Motion Studio, 2000. https://www.pilatesinmotionstudio.com/datus-c-proper/.

External links[]

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