Annette Parker Davis

1934 - 2023

Annette Parker Davis

January 29, 1934 - October 21, 2023

- Our beautiful mom, Ruth Annette Parker Davis, passed away on Saturday, October 21, 2023, after declining in health over the past five years from the effects of Alzheimer's. She was 89 years old, born on January 29, 1934, and is now reunited with our Dad, Jeron (Jerry) Edel Davis, who died three months earlier.

Mom grew up in the Sugarhouse area, - 1603 South 1500 East. Throughout her life she was always a proud Parker! Oh how she loved her dad, C.H. Parker, and adored her nurturing mother, Carrie Hansen Parker. She loved and admired her big brother, Douglas Parker, and her two classy and coaching older sisters, Virginia (Peterson) and Marilyn (Wood). Mom's years growing up were happy ones.

When Mom was 17 years old her sister introduced her to the cute boy working at Fernwood's Ice Cream Parlor. Two years later they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. After having eight children, they lovingly embraced three more children through adoption. We always knew that Mom and Dad loved us all. They were fully devoted to raising us 11 kids over a span of 40 years, up to the time the last to leave the nest was married. But once a mother, always a mother. Grandkids had long before started coming. With heartfelt love, outstretched arms, and happy kisses she welcomed each grandchild and great grandchild into our family.

Mom was a happy upbeat mother. She was easy going, quick to laugh, and she made things fun even when times were tough financially in our early years as a family. Dad and Mom made for a perfect combination as parents, caring for us in every way. Mom was kind and cheerful to all who knew her, - as a child, throughout her school years, to her amazing neighbors in the Canyon Rim area, to her church friends, to the many young women she taught at church who will forever be her eternal friends, and to everyone she met. She always sought to find the best in others. In a very profound way she learned that as a daughter of God her role is to love others as God does.

Mom was a faithful follower and servant of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Throughout her life she served in the community and in many capacities in church, including serving four times with Dad as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, - in Florida, Fort Apache Reservation in Arizona, in Massachusetts, and in Tennessee. But most impactful and important to us, through her day-to-day example Mom taught us to love and follow God. She was unwavering in her faith and in striving to follow our Heavenly Father's divine plan of happiness, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through the trials she experienced in life, Mom only grew stronger as she patiently sought to understand what God wanted her to learn. She truly strived to be like Jesus.

Mom was so amazingly good to Dad. She came ?rst in his life, and she knew that he cherished, valued, and loved her. And Mom adored and trusted Dad. She revered him as a husband and father, and honored his role as a faithful patriarch in our home. Having married 70 years ago, they walked side by side through life. They truly lived as one.

Hanging on the wall of mom's bedroom is a picture of her mother, along with the words of a poem she treasured. The poem reads:

"Sometimes,

when day draws to it's close,

the departing sun

will throw back to earth

in fond farewell

a lovely afterglow.

I hope I shall so live

that when my sun of life sinks low,

I shall throw back on those I love

a lovely afterglow."

The lovely afterglow of Mom's life not only will sustain us as a family, but is certain to shine upon and strengthen future generations of children to come. Mom and Dad not only leave behind us children and our spouses, - Mark (Jane), Glen (Janene), Kent (Erin), Lisa Campbell (Clyde), Brook (Michal), Abel (Cami), Seri, Janna Voss (Laurie), and Rob (Debbie), but also 41 grandchildren, their spouses, and 108 great grandchildren. Two of their sons, our brothers, preceded them in death, - Joel who passed away when he was five weeks old, and Brett who passed away when 17 years old. Oh how we wish we could have peeked through the windows of heaven to witness the long awaited reunion, - Joel, Brett, Mom, and Dad joyously embraced in celebration and heartfelt gratitude to be reunited again. We're so happy for them!

Mom leaves behind two sisters-in-law, Beverly Tingey and Ann Pettit, who have been so kind and loving to her. She was preceded in death by her brother and two sisters, and their spouses Corene Parker, Wayne Peterson, and Richard (Dick) Wood; and by her brother-in-law Burton Tingey, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Robert and Beverly Davis.

We express thanks to the many people from VALEO Home Health and Hospice who lovingly attended to Mom's care over the past seven months, including Debi, Maddie, Maria, Camille, Julie, and others. We're so grateful for each of you!

An extraordinary era in our family is coming to an end with the passing of Mom and Dad. They lived in their Canyon Rim neighborhood for over 60 years. We give heartfelt thanks to you beautiful kind neighbors, and to their Canyon Rim 3rd Ward church family, and the many friends who lovingly have been a part of Mom's and Dad's life over these many years. And we express special thanks to those of you that have looked in on them and served them in special ways these last years and months of their life. You have been so kind and dear to them, and to us!

A funeral service for Mom will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2023, at 11:00am at the Canyon Rim Stake Center, - 3051 South 2900 East, Millcreek City, Utah. There will be a viewing at the stake center on Wednesday evening, November 1, 2023, from 6:00–7:30pm, and on Thursday morning, from 9:30–10:30am. We look forward to honoring Mom and celebrating her life, along with family and friends.

Mom, we love you, too! … "And don't you forget it!"