Roseville, Calif.- Leonard “Duke” Davis, considered by many the foremost authority on the history of Roseville, passed away on Friday, October 10.
Davis was a founding member of the Roseville Historical Society and instrumental in documenting Roseville history through the many books he authored. He partnered with the historical society on several projects about the history of Roseville.
A Roseville native and lifelong resident, Davis taught for more than 40 years at the junior high school, senior high school and community college level.
“His contributions to the preservation of Roseville’s unique history as well as the reverence he felt for the city’s history cannot be overstated,” read a post on the Roseville Historical Society’s Facebook page. “It does not do justice to say he will be missed. The City of Roseville certainly has lost an asset whose value is immeasurable.”
Davis partnered with the City on “The Story of Roseville, California: Milestones and Memories 1850-2000” for the city’s 90th anniversary. The book was updated in 2009 for the city’s centennial.
The Downtown Roseville Library also maintains much of Davis’ extensive historic photo collection of Roseville.
