Gary Lee Davis May 4, 1937 - July 31, 2024

Gary Lee Davis of Salem Utah, passed away on July 31, 2024, at the age of 87.

Gary was born on May 4, 1937, in Provo, Utah to Sprigg Borromeo and Laura Conrad Davis. He was raised in Southern California along with his sisters Connie and Mary Dawn and older brother Dix. His childhood was happy, carefree, and full of mischief, as Gary was not a follower of what he called “petty” rules.

He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After high school he served as a missionary in the Northern States mission. Upon returning home, Gary attended Brigham Young University. During summer break, he met Jean Dalton at a young adult dance in Southern California, where he immediately asked her to marry him. Jean returned home that night and told her mother that she had a date with a “funny-looking guy.” They were married on September 9, 1961 in the Los Angeles Temple.

Gary and Jean made their home in the LA suburbs of Glendale and Sunland, where each of their four children were born. In 1978, they moved to a small mountain community north of Los Angeles called Frazier Park, where they lived for the next 25 years. Gary and his family were active in establishing and growing the small LDS branch there, where he served in many leadership positions. After retiring from the SoCal Gas Company, Gary and Jean moved to Salem, Utah. They continued to serve together in the church as service missionaries and temple workers.

Gary was known for his humor; he had a quick wit and loved making people laugh. Early in his marriage to Jean he dabbled in stand-up comedy and joined a Hollywood comedy troupe of struggling actors & writers. He gave up his comedy dreams after starting a family, but never stopped writing. Gary published four novels, several short stories, and was a frequent “observational humor” columnist for local newspapers and magazines.

Gary loved people; he was kind, generous, tolerant and forgiving. He was a champion of the underdog: he picked up hitchhikers, donated to panhandlers and always gave big tips to restaurant servers. He loved all animals; and for some cosmic reason, animals loved him too.

Gary never graduated from college or travelled extensively, but he lived a full life as a follower of Christ. He loved God, he loved his family and he loved and served his fellow man.

Gary is survived by his wife, Jean; sons Douglas (Julie), Steven (Karen), Michael (Tiffany), and daughter Shelann (Kameron); twenty grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Dix.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 695 South 300 West, Salem, Utah. Visitation will be prior to the service, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in Salem City Cemetery, 979 South 130 East, Salem, Utah.