Verne Everton Davis

Verne Everton Davis passed away on February 26, 2024, in Bountiful, Utah. Verne was born December 18, 1933, in Kinston, North Carolina, to Hardy Davis and Eliza Dorothy McCotter and was raised in Belmont, North Carolina. After he graduated from Belmont High School in 1952, his family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. The following year, Verne met and married LaVon Isakson. They had two sons: James and Brent. Verne and LaVon divorced in 1962.

In 1965, Verne married Shirly Irene Baerwaldt. From that union were born two sons, Lane and Krehl (Karl), and two daughters, Tiffany and Amber. Verne and Shirley were “starving students” with only part-time employment and scholarships for the next six years. Verne earned his BA degree at the University of Utah and then continued his studies as a graduate student, and a graduate student teachers assistant for the Department of Geography. Verne and Shirly divorced in 1974.

After his years at the University of Utah, a friend persuaded him to move to Paradise Valley, Arizona, to help him set up a new appliance department in a local department store. Here, Verne began a different career, selling major appliances. This is also where Verne met Linda Jean Grzebieniowski Schlief, whom he married in 1975. Linda gave birth to a daughter, Sabrina, on September 9, 1976. When this marriage ended in divorce six years later, Verne and Sabrina moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Verne met Kathleen Bangerter Garner at a singles dance in the Bountiful Tabernacle. After four months of courtship, they were married and sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on November 10, 1983. Kathleen was the love of his life.

Verne loved the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. He especially enjoyed serving as a missionary with his dear wife Kathleen. They served a stake mission together in the Bountiful West Stake and also served for two years as ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple. In Jan 2001, Verne and Kathleen became the first missionary couple assigned to live full-time in Benin, West Africa. While there, they supported church members in the capital city of Cotonou and assisted in securing legal recognition of the church in that country. After Kathleen’s death on July 21, 2011, Verne continued working full-time at the Centerville Distribution Store for a total of 10 years and, after his retirement, served a senior mission at the same location. 

Left to cherish his memory: his brother, Sherwood L. Davis (Lois Ann), West Jordan, UT; sons Brent R. Davis (Kathryn), Taylorsville, UT; Lane J. Davis (Joy), Pleasanton, CA; Karl J. Davis (Sharla), Mesa, AZ; and daughters Tiffany Tietjen (Dale), San Tan, AZ; Amber McEntire (Mike), Payson, AZ; Sabrina Sisemore, Scottsdale, AZ; and step-children whom he loved as his own: Laura K. Jones (Curtis), Bountiful, UT; Michael Garner (Andrea), Kaysville, UT; & Katherine Stahl (Jacob), Taylorsville, UT.

He was preceded in death by his father, Hardy Davis; mother, Eliza Dorothy McCotter Davis; a brother, Leland Clement; his wife, Kathleen B. Davis; a son, James L. Davis; a step-son Carl M. Garner; a grandson, Chad James Davis, and a great-granddaughter Kloie Lynn Metz.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Bountiful 21st Ward, 115 East Wicker Lane, Bountiful, Utah, with a visitation from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Verne will be laid to rest next to his wife in the Bountiful City Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes before services and will be posted below.