Daila Z. Jaussi

1944 - 2025

Daila Ziedite Vizulis Jaussi, age 81, passed from congestive heart failure on May 26, 2025, in Preston, Idaho.

Daila was born on May 11, 1944, in Liep?ja, Latvia, to Zuzanna and Adolfs Vizulis. She spent the first six months of her life in Liep?ja, then in November 1944, she and her parents escaped the approaching war to Gotland, Sweden. It was a harrowing 100-mile voyage in an open fishing boat across the Baltic Sea. Early childhood was spent on fishing boats her father built around the southern Swedish coast. When she was about five years old, they settled in Goteborg, Sweden, where she attended elementary school. At 16 years old, she moved to Kessel, Germany, to attend Gymnasium. While there, she met missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and chose to convert.

In 1964, she was given the opportunity to work as a translator for the LDS Church and relocated to America, where she continued her language studies at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. During her time there, she was offered a position as a translator with the United Nations in New York City because she knew seven languages. However, she declined the opportunity after meeting David Clifford Jaussi while working in the college's language tutoring lab.

Daila and David were married in the Idaho Falls LDS temple on August 25, 1966. They lived in Pocatello, Idaho, while David finished his teaching degree at Idaho State University. During this time, they welcomed their first daughter. Afterward, they purchased their first home in Hibbard, Idaho, where they would live for over 40 years and grow their family with the addition of three more daughters.

Daila held various positions at Valley Bank in Rexburg over the years. Alongside her banking career, she partnered with her close friend Charlene to start Chip 'n Dale's Catering business. In the early 1990s, Daila left the bank to run the catering business full-time. David took early retirement from teaching to join her, helping expand the business to a new level. Together, they built Jaussi Catering into a successful business for over 20 years. In 2013, Daila and David sold their family home in Hibbard and relocated to Weston, Idaho.

Daila had a passion for lottery scratch tickets, movies, and shopping. She loved spending time with her friends, going to lunch, and playing games. Daila was a member of the LDS church. She served many callings throughout her life, her favorite being Compassionate Service Leader.

Her four daughters and sons-in-law survive her: Debora Jaussi of Boise; Dawn Montano (Bill) of Fairbanks, Alaska; Diedra Christensen (Josh) of Portland, Oregon; Drexel Charlie Bingham (Corrie) of Weston; her seven grandchildren, Abigail, Amanda, Ava, Cutler, Camdon, Ander, Cayden and brother-in-law Dale Jaussi. Daila is preceded in death by her husband, David; her parents; her granddaughter, Alyssa Montano; and her infant grandson, Henry Montano.

Viewing will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Red Rose Funeral Home in Preston, Idaho. Interment will be at Teton-Newdale Cemetery at 2 pm.