Laurie Jean Davis Gerrard

Laurie Jean Davis Gerrard, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend passed away peacefully at her residence of Sunridge Assisted Living Center, Layton, Utah on June 13, 2023.

Laurie was born September 11, 1942, to Donald Dean Davis and Marelda Amanda Henry of Bountiful, Utah. She was the third of three children. Laurie was a happy child who enjoyed many opportunities to develop her talents. She often shared with her children her memories of riding the Bamberger train (which was a half a mile from her home in Bountiful) into Salt Lake, weekly, to the McCune School of Music for her violin lessons as a seven-year-old. She saw the other children learning to dance and joined the Virginia Tanner Dance program for children 8-18. As a young dancer, she was able to travel on tour to the nation’s capital and other eastern cities. She shared these stories with her family with fondness. As a teenager, she was very popular and was elected as a Junior Prom Royalty and was also on the cheerleading team. In her senior year, she was elected president of her school’s “Future Homemakers of America” club. The family would agree that she was that – an amazing mom and homemaker.

Laurie met her future sweetheart in the freezer room of Gil’s Dairy Drive-In on 200 West in Bountiful, Utah. Gilbert (Jim) Shepherd Gerrard, the son of Gil, was quick to see a good thing and took appropriate action, by locking her in the freezer! Jim would say Laurie was the best-looking gal around, and he wasn’t about to let her get away. Laurie and Jim eloped to Elko, Nevada and got married December 24, 1960 and were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on May 6, 1961.

Laurie and Jim established their first home in an old bungalow at 944 North 400 East, Centerville and then built their family home on that lot from 1961 through 1975, later moving into a larger home on Nola Drive in Centerville to accommodate their growing family.

Laurie is known by hundreds of students and their families for sharing her love of the violin and her Suzuki methodology of teaching during her teaching career of 20+ years. She was well-loved for her violin performances and was a long-time member of the Salt Lake Symphony.

Laurie was known to all for her unconditional love and service. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, having served in many positions, including as a full time senior missionary and as a temple worker with her husband.

Jim and Laurie moved to Syracuse, Utah in 1997, where they lived until Jim passed away September 13, 2016. Laurie moved into the Sunridge Assisted Living Center in 2019, where she resided until her death. The family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the wonderful Sunridge staff for the love and support they provided—specifically Sadie and the aids and nurses in the Memory Care unit; as well as the staff at Cascade Springs for their hospice support and services.

Laurie is survived by her children: Michele (John), Douglas (Rose), Julie (JD), Andrea (Mike), Jennifer (Jon), Russell (Heidi), Spencer (Angela), Steven (Heather), 24 grandchildren and 15 (plus one on the way) great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Donald Emerson Davis and her sister Marelda Lois Davis Ashby and by her husband Gilbert (Jim) Gerrard.

The viewing will be held Friday, June 16, 2023 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 1585 W 300 S, Syracuse, UT 84075. The funeral services will be held Saturday, June 17th at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS chapel at 2679 South 1000 West, Syracuse, Utah 84075.  A second viewing will be held on Saturday morning at the chapel from 9:45-10:45 a.m.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary & Crematory Facebook page and on this obituary page.  The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.

Interment and dedicatory prayer will be at Syracuse Cemetery 1250 South 1000 West, Syracuse, UT following the funeral.