Owen Gerald Davis, our beloved husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa and friend passed away Saturday morning, December 30, 2017 at Applewood Assisted Living where he was residing.

Jerry, as he was known in his earlier years and by his family, was born March 11, 1935 in Wendell, Idaho to Owen and Zellma Davis. He was the younger of 2 children. Jerry and his older sister, Barbara Jean, were raised in Jerome, Idaho. His family spent some time in Pocatello and Portland before eventually settling in Boise, Idaho. During his high school years, he was very active in music, playing the drums in the band and orchestra. A highlight in his teen years was going to the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Boise High School in 1953, then went on to attend Boise Junior College for a year. He continued his undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University where he graduated with a degree in Chemistry. While there, he played the drums in the BYU marching band and concert band. During rehearsals his eye caught a cute flute player, Mary Ellen Cornwall, whom he began to court. He interrupted his studies to serve a full-time mission (1956-1958) for the LDS church in Southern California. Upon completion of his mission, he returned to BYU to finish his degree. On June 5, 1959 Jerry and Mary Ellen were married in the Salt Lake Temple. They moved to Chicago, where he attended dental school at Northwestern University, graduating in 1963. Upon graduating he became known to many by his formal name, Owen.

Owen was stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia in the Army Dental Detachment from 1963-1965. After two years in the army, they moved back to Boise, where he began a private dental practice.

Owen was a very dedicated member of the LDS church serving in numerous callings. He was a Bishop in the Boise 12th ward, Bishop in the Boise 1st ward and a temple patron in the Boise Temple. He served in Young Men’s organizations, scouting programs, and served a second full-time LDS mission with his wife in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1993 he was involved in a life altering car accident which led to the selling of his dental practice. After a year of recovery, he returned to dentistry and worked for Terry Riley Health Services until his retirement in 2003.

One of Owen’s greatest passions and priorities was his family. Some of the family’s most treasured memories are snow skiing at Bogus Basin, boating and waterskiing at Lucky Peak, picnics in the park, biking on the green belt, and having family gatherings at their home on the Warm Springs Mesa.

Owen has been known by many names throughout his life: Jerry, Dad, Owen, Dr. Davis, OD, Bishop, and Grandpa. He interacted with a lot of different people in many different ways.
Any way you associated with him, whatever name you knew him by, those he interacted with were positively influenced. It was a blessing to know him by any of his names.


Owen and Mary Ellen were married for 58 years and were blessed with 8 children: Marilyn (Kenny) Johnson of Boise, Idaho; Ron (Tami) Davis of Eagle, Idaho; Michelle (David) Fonda of South Jordan, Utah; Rick (Tami) Davis of Fruitland, Idaho; Jani (Aaron) Dittman of Eagle, Idaho; Jeff (Audra) Davis of Meridian, Idaho; Tim (Lisa) Davis of Fruitland, Idaho; and Tammy (Ben) Hawkins of Boise, Idaho. He leaves behind 39 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Owen was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Jean Page and his parents Owen and Zellma Davis.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 3:00pm at the Warm Springs LDS Chapel located at 2290 E. Warm Springs Ave., Boise. A viewing will be held on Friday, January 5, 6:00-8:00pm, at Relyea Funeral Chapel, 318 N. Latah St., Boise, and also from 2:00-2:45pm at the church preceding the funeral services. Graveside services will be held Monday, January 8, 2018, 11:00 a.m., at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise.

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