Robin Stevens Davis

It's been a year today that you returned to our Heavenly Father. There are a lot of memories going through my mind. As I picture you in the spiritual world I see you laughing and using your quick wit to make others laugh too. I know that you are busy teaching the gospel not only in heaven but trying to help us on earth to make better choices. Love you and look forward to when we see each other again. Mom

Thinking of you today. Hope you're enjoying the view and the work and all the friends and family surrounding you... remembering that we miss, love and look to the day when we can be with you, too! Love you. Miss our talks.

Dear Don,
I just barely heard about Robin's passing and am still processing all that you have been through in the last two months. My heart just aches for you. When you worked at the Moran with us it was obvious to all of us how much you loved your wife. You two were definitely "made in heaven." And now Robin watches over you from there, as well. You are in my thoughts and prayers - may every memory you have of her give you peace. The Lord's Plan of Salvation is a great reassurance.
We love you, Don! Diane Ngatuvai

For our Florida Family Reunion in November 2010, each family member submitted an All About Me page. We'd like to share some of Robin's entries.

*Favorite food: meat & potatoes girl or Mexican

*Favorite song: Bad Day by Daniel Powter or A Child's Prayer

*Favorite scripture story: I have always loved the story of David and Jonathan. I think I can see myself in similar friendships.

*Favorite memory: One memory is the Pig Races at the State Fair. One year I kept picking the right number of pig that would win the race and got on TV for my amazing strategy. When asked how I picked my number, my reply was "I picked my age--4."

*Favorite vacation: What comes to my mind is just camping. Turkey Run was a nice place and a family favorite. I really liked it when we went with other families like Rowleys and Bowns.

*Favorite age and why? College days were probably my favorite. I usually had great roommates and lots of fun and laughs. 29 was a good year, too. That was the year I married Don.

*Best Christmas and what made it so great? Any Christmas before third grade was pretty magical. I remember one year in particular when we got a table & chairs, stroller, dolls (fake Cabbage Patch Kid dolls.) I can remember sneaking downstairs that year and everything was magical. The best adult Christmas was 2005, the year I married Don.

*What extended family member do you think you're most like? This is a hard one, but I guess I'm a Heinz 57. I've got the Stevens cowlick and eyes, the Bateman teeth & body build, my mother's side gift for gab and father's side for humor. I'm a good mix.

*Scariest or most traumatic experience you have had and what helped you through it? Lung transplant 1998...I got thru it by lots of praying, support from my family and friends, blood, sweat, & tears. (Oh, add to that, Priesthood blessings.)

Don,
Miles and I were so sad to hear of her passing. I know we didn't know you guys for very long while you were in the Jefferson Ward, but we are truly grateful that we shared a short time with you both. What an amazing person Robin was. Glad that she is no longer suffering. We will keep you in our prayers.

Don,

Melinda and I have such appreciation for everything you both did for our family. You were the best primary teachers ever! We enjoyed having you over to our house and enjoyed the friendship, laughs, and good food! Grace still speaks so glowingly of you both as her primary teachers. We are saddened to hear of Robin's passing, you are in our thoughts and prayers. Robin always had such an amazing smile and upbeat, cheerful attitude. She touched so many people's lives. We love you and want you to know we are here if you need anything at all.

With love, prayers, and thoughts -- the Cullimore Family (Derek, Melinda, Grace, and Ryan)

Robin, God Be With You Till We Meet Again! We love you!

When going through some of Robin's things still at Mom and Dave's house, Ashley found this letter that Robin had saved since Jan 1998. It was written to her by Josh Nielsen (her brother-in-law through my marriage to Nathan). It really touched me, and I know others would enjoy reading it also. I now have the letter in my possession and have Josh's permission to share it with you.
-Lori Nielsen
_____________________
Jan 19, 1998
Dear Robin,
I'm not sure if you know who I am or if I've even spelled your name correctly. It really makes no difference anyway. l'm Nathan's older brother and we met, I believe at Nathan and Lori's wedding.
I've always taken an interest in your life for some reason, perhaps your spirit, drive or simple willingness to keep on going intrigued me. I have always had a need to associate myself with those people who have worked hard to overcome great obstacles and who not by virtue alone are blessed of God.
I can't say what it must be like to struggle as you have and are. I believe you have an indomitable spirit and must be unyielding to thoughts of doubt and fear. While I know undoubtedly that we will live forever, as you also believe, it is also our struggle to exist, love and learn within this time and dimension that makes life so interesting.
It was explained to me that you presently have one of the transplanted lungs working at 60% and that things took promising. I understand that this one lung is better than the two you previously owned. This is good news.
Although I don't really know you. I will keep you in my prayers. Your struggle to survive has made me see so many things more clearly about my own life and my need to be more selfless. lf I can ever be of service to you, please let me know. It would be an honor.
Sincerely , Josh Nielsen
P.S. Remember your purpose!

Oh, how I miss my sister and friend! When I was a lot younger sometimes people would ask if we were twins. We may have looked a lot alike and had some similarities in our personalities, but I will never be as strong and valiant as my "twin" is.
The last time that I had a good phone conversation with Robin was about two weeks before she died. One of the things we talked about was an ugly card we kept passing/sending back to one another over the years. I found it at our mom's house right before her wedding reception and gave it to her from Justin and me. Man, that thing was/is ugly! Five months later I happened to get the same card attached to my wedding present, and it went back and forth for birthdays and other celebrations. She was the last one to get the card.....I think she was saving it for me to give at a special occasion.
The last time that I saw Robin in person was at our family reunion in November 2010. I had all my breathing treatment things in her room because we were sharing some of our equipment. As I did my treatment one night I asked her why she thought she had lived so long. I commented on how we were the only two people with CF that we personally knew that were still alive. So many lives and friends had gone before us. She told me that she knew it was because of the priesthood that she had lived as long as she had. That is just one example of her faith, one of the many lessons she taught me while here on earth.
When I applied to BYU-I I had to do an essay about my hero and why they were my hero. I did my essay on Robin. She was my hero then, she is my hero now. Love you Robbie!

Robin's passing has given me much pause to reflect on the Plan of Salvation and our purpose in coming to earth: to gain a body and to be tested to see if we would fulfill our second estate by choosing to follow God, partake of His ordinances, keep His commandments to the end, and to serve one another. Robin fulfilled this purpose entirely in the way she lived, loved and served all of us.

I remember every time I went to visit Don and Robin, we always knew where Rob was by the trail of oxygen that followed her everywhere she went. Well, when they are reunited, Don will have to find some new ways of keeping track of his wife, as she will be free of that silly oxygen line and when she is resurrected will take on a body that is whole and perfect. Finally, she will have the physical strength and energy for her body to keep up with that strong spirit we all knew so well.

I miss your sweet spirit Robin and the positive outlook you had on life in spite of all the challenges you faced. I look forward to the day when you will be reunited to your sweetheart Don, a day, as Don put it, that will be truly Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!

My beloved sister, I am so grateful of the opportunity of gaining such a precious daughter of heaven to be inserted into our family. You have an uncanny knack for bringing people out of their blues with your quick wit & loving nature. The warmth & kindness of your heart that was always displayed in your eyes, smile & that jovial, larger than life laugh, is being missed day to day. I personally will forever remember some of these blessed times we had together while Don would be at work or in bed because he'd have to work at the crack of dawn. The wonderful times we had visited the Temple grounds & had picnics will be so greatly missed. Our little Robbie would always have research & an itinerary for trips & vacations.
In the months leading up to her return home, several conversations stick out. But one, more than the rest. I remember her telling me that it was getting so hard to get a breath & that it would get a lot worse before they would even consider her for a transplant. My heart was so heavy as she talked about how she knew it was getting close to that stage. Trying to comfort her, by saying that it was all part of the plan, I feel as though she knew that much better than I could convey to her. I kept getting the distinct feeling that I'd better get down to Flordia for a visit, since I hadn't seen either Don or Robbie since I had quit smoking & read the Book of Mormon, & now I wouldn't have to worry about the smell of smoke hurting her & making it more difficult to breathe. For weeks this thought kept popping in my head, but work was so crazy, I just couldn't make it. Then finally we had our family vacation that had been planned for months. We all knew Robin couldn't come & the trip was great but not like the ones we had come to know. There was something missing & we all knew what it was.
Robin, I love you, from every particle in me. I know of assurity that you & Don were more perfect for each other than just about anyone. I know that if I follow the example of the Master that you have followed & are mastering yourself, that we will all be together again, sealed up as one sacred family unit. I am so grateful for these promises & for the blessings of His gospel. I thank you again for all of your patience, kindness & love to me, my family, & most importantly to Don. I praise & respect your worthiness, charity & endurance. You are of the elect, of that I am sure. God, be with you, my sister, until we meet again.

One time when Robin and I were living in Salt Lake City after we had been married for about a year, we were passing through Bountiful searching for an antique bed pan (yes, to hang on our wall). We went to Taco Bell, ordered and sat down with our quality feast. An elderly couple shuffled into the restaurant after we were seated, ordered and sat near us. The gruff old man seemed to tell his wife the smallest details of what she was to do. It was then that we realized she had dementia.
She picked up a crunchy taco, took one small bite and exclaimed, "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" with enthusiasm and sincerity. Her husband coaxed her into eating another bite and the scene replayed. Soon her husband told her she needed to drink some of her soda. She imbibed, and her cheerfully exclaimed "Wonderful, wonderful,...(belch) wonderful."

Robin and I ate more slowly, intent on watching the elderly couple finish their dinner. They finished, and shuffled out the door, leaning on each other, and we worried that they were driving home. Then we marveled. It seems dementia has a way of showing our true character. Without the ability to filter our thoughts, people really learn who we are. This incident so struck Robin and I that we spoke about it often. Robin even relayed the story at church during several talks. We made it our goal to become the type of people that were thankful for what the LORD has given us. Now I know I have a long way to go, but I am grateful for a wife with such character. When people asked her how she was, never did she say, "I feel like I am suffocating" or "I am so tired that I can't keep my eyes open", or "If I have to hear about one more baby story from my friends when they know I can't have one myself..." I would frequently awaken her in the morning before I went to work and ask her how her night went. She would reply to me ..."Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful."

Robbie, you are not only my best friend, but my hero. I await the time that we may be reunited. That day will truly be "Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!"