The Remarkable Life and Family Story of Don S Davis

Basic Information

Don S Davis and His Early Family Life

I regard Don S. Davis’s career as a fusion of seemingly unrelated worlds. Artist, sculptor, painter, actor, soldier, lecturer, and woodcarver. A familial background in Aurora, Missouri, and the Ozarks underpinned those public identities.

In Aurora, Missouri, Don was born August 4, 1942. The youngest of four, he was. One brother and two sisters were his siblings, but their names and lives are unknown.

Timberyard owner M.T. Davis was his father. Because woodworking was more than a hobby for Don, it was meaningful in his later paintings. His father gave him a basement woodworking shop and taught him to whittle and carve.

I think that element particularly telling. Before becoming a harsh military leader on TV, Davis was familiar with wood, tools, landscapes, and handmade goods. He retained his boyhood practical skills for decades.

His mother is less well-known. His biography focuses on his father and his Missouri Ozark boyhood.

Don S Davis Marriage and Son Matt Davis

Don S Davis was married more than once during his life. His first marriage is relatively private, although some listings identify his first wife as Sondra Sue Davis.

From that earlier marriage came his son, Matt Davis, who is also referred to in different accounts as Matthew, Mathew, or Matthew Correy Davis. Public information about Matt’s personal life and career is limited, but his connection to his father’s later acting years appears in family anecdotes.

One particularly memorable detail concerns a GMC Envoy associated with Stargate SG-1. The production reportedly gave Don Davis the vehicle, and his son continued to drive it afterward. Small family details like this give a glimpse into the personal side of an actor whose professional image was often much more formal and imposing.

Don became a father at a time when his public career was still developing. Unlike his father, Matt did not become a highly visible public figure, and the family generally kept his life away from the spotlight.

Ruby Fleming and the Later Years of Don S Davis

In July 2003, Don Davis married Ruby Fleming, also known as Ruby Fleming-Davis. Their relationship became an important part of his later life.

Davis described Ruby as his “soul mate and the great love of his life.” She worked as a costumer, giving the couple a connection to the entertainment world from different professional directions.

The couple lived together in Gibsons, British Columbia, with their three dogs, Teto, Ming, and Charley. Their home life was considerably quieter than the military bases, television sets, and convention halls associated with Davis’s professional identity.

Ruby also became one of the people who helped preserve his memory after his death. She spoke at conventions and shared personal recollections with fans. After Davis died, she described the enormous response from admirers, including more than 100,000 emails of condolence.

His private memorial was deeply personal. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean near Gibsons, accompanied by a bottle of Crown Royal, his preferred drink, his favorite hat, and flowers. According to Ruby’s recollection, a seal swam through the ashes during the ceremony.

It feels almost cinematic, but the story was part of a very real farewell to a man whose professional life had connected him with thousands of viewers.

From Missouri Student to Army Captain

Davis’s education and military experience formed another important branch of his family and personal story.

He earned a Bachelor of Science with a double major in theater and art from Southwest Missouri State College, now Missouri State University, in 1965. His interests were already unusually broad. Theater gave him performance and stagecraft, while art connected him to the visual and physical world he had known since childhood.

After college, he entered the U.S. Army through ROTC as a second lieutenant. He served approximately three years on active duty and eventually reached the rank of captain. His military experience included service with the 7th Infantry in Korea during the Vietnam era and work as a personnel and administration officer.

He later worked with general officers at Fort Leonard Wood. That experience would eventually become one of the most valuable pieces of his acting career.

When Davis later played military officers, he was not simply copying an image of authority from movies. He had lived inside the military structure himself.

Education and Academic Career

Davis completed his study after the Army. Southern Illinois University Carbondale awarded him a master’s in drama in 1970. His 1982 Ph.D. in theater focused on dramatic theory, critique, and scenography.

He taught technical theater and related disciplines at UBC in Vancouver for over a decade.

I think this phase connected his different personalities. He knew performing and behind-the-scenes. He knew stage design, construction, lighting, scenery, and practical craftsmanship.

Davis quit teaching in 1987 to perform full-time.

The Family Man Behind General Hammond

Davis became especially recognizable as Major General George S. Hammond on Stargate SG-1. He appeared as a main cast member during seasons 1 through 7 and returned in a recurring capacity afterward.

For me, the interesting contrast is between the character’s commanding military presence and Davis’s reputation away from the camera. Colleagues remembered him as kind, generous, self-effacing, and willing to spend considerable time with fans.

His actual Army background also gave Hammond a particular authenticity. Davis reportedly wanted to humanize the character rather than reduce him to a rigid military stereotype.

His other important roles included Major Garland Briggs on Twin Peaks and Captain William Scully on The X-Files. He also worked extensively as a stunt and photo double, including work for Dana Elcar on MacGyver.

His film credits included A League of Their Own, Look Who’s Talking, Con Air, Best in Show, The Fan, Miracle, and Far Cry. He also appeared in television productions such as NCIS, The West Wing, and Psych.

Don S Davis and His Art Collection

Acting was only one part of Don Davis’s identity. He was a serious visual artist throughout his life.

He painted, drew, sculpted, and carved wood, but he often identified himself primarily as a woodcarver. His artistic imagination was deeply connected to the Missouri Ozarks, where he had grown up.

His work reflected rolling hills, farms, rivers, lakes, old homes, barns, rural buildings, and natural forms. The Ozarks were more than scenery to him. They were the visual language of his childhood.

His father had helped establish that relationship through woodworking, and Davis carried it into adulthood. He once carved wooden cigar-store Indians that were sold at Silver Dollar City.

His former art website, dons

davisart.com, displayed examples of his paintings, drawings, carvings, and sculptures. The website was created around 2006 and remained available for years as a memorial after his death, although the domain has since expired.

There is no comprehensive public catalog of his complete art collection, and there are no extensive public records showing a major commercial art career. His art appears to have been primarily personal, with commissions and sales providing additional income.

The Ozarks and the Davis Family Legacy

Aurora, Missouri, remained an important imaginative landmark for Davis. The Ozarks provided him with a landscape filled with hills, wooded areas, farms, water, old buildings, and small communities.

The environment shaped the way he saw ordinary objects. A barn could become a subject. A piece of wood could become a figure. A familiar hill could become a painting.

That connection also helps explain why Davis’s artistic life feels so different from his television roles. General Hammond belonged to military command centers and interstellar adventures. The artist Don Davis belonged to workshops, landscapes, tools, wood, paint, and memory.

Don S Davis’s Final Years

After an abdominal aortic aneurysm operation in 2002, Davis faced serious health issues. He had heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and other issues from military duty, athletics, and stunt work.

Despite guest appearances and other ventures, his Stargate SG-1 role was limited after season 7.

He died of a major heart attack in Gibsons, British Columbia, at 65 on June 29, 2008.

In his latter years, he balanced family, art, performing, and his British Columbia neighborhood. His wife Ruby and son Matt preserved his personal heritage.

Don S Davis Family and Personal Legacy

Don S Davis left behind a family story that is quieter than his television career. His father M.T. Davis helped introduce him to woodworking. His siblings shared his early family environment in Aurora. His son Matt remained connected to his later life, while Ruby Fleming became his partner during his final five years.

At the same time, Davis left a much larger professional family through theater, television, the military community, and the fans who continued to remember him.

His career is unusual because every major chapter seems to echo another. The Army captain helped shape General Hammond. The theater professor understood performance from behind the stage. The Missouri woodcarver carried the Ozarks into his artwork. The actor who projected authority was remembered privately for warmth and humor.

FAQ

Who was Don S Davis?

Don S Davis was an American character actor, artist, theater professor, and U.S. Army captain. He was best known for playing General George S. Hammond on Stargate SG-1 and Major Garland Briggs on Twin Peaks.

Who were Don S Davis’s parents?

His father was M.T. or MT Davis, a lumberyard owner. Public information about his mother is limited.

Did Don S Davis have siblings?

Yes. Davis was the youngest of four children. His siblings included one brother and two sisters, although their names are not widely documented.

Did Don S Davis have children?

Yes. He had one son from his earlier marriage, Matt Davis, who is also referred to as Matthew, Mathew, or Matthew Correy Davis.

Who was Don S Davis’s wife?

Davis was married to Ruby Fleming from July 2003 until his death in 2008. She was also known as Ruby Fleming-Davis and worked as a costumer.

What was Don S Davis famous for?

He was particularly famous for playing General George S. Hammond on Stargate SG-1. He also portrayed Major Garland Briggs on Twin Peaks and Captain William Scully on The X-Files.

Was Don S Davis actually in the military?

Yes. Davis served approximately three years on active duty in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of captain. His experience included service with the 7th Infantry in Korea and work at Fort Leonard Wood.

Was Don S Davis an artist?

Yes. Davis was a lifelong painter, draftsman, sculptor, and woodcarver. He often described himself primarily as a woodcarver and drew substantial artistic inspiration from the Missouri Ozarks.

What happened to Don S Davis’s art collection?

A complete public catalog of his artwork is not available. His former website displayed paintings, drawings, carvings, and sculptures, but the site is no longer active. His surviving artwork and descriptions remain an important part of his lesser-known artistic legacy.

When did Don S Davis die?

Don S Davis died on June 29, 2008, in Gibsons, British Columbia, at age 65. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean near Gibsons as part of a private memorial attended by people close to him.