Duane Davis

Duane Ellis “Doc” Davis, 86, passed away peacefully in St. George at 7:05 on 7/05, accompanied by family, surrounded by images of loved ones and his beloved Mount Timpanogos, and with the inspired words of Handel’s Messiah echoing in his ears.

Duane was born in 1930 in Provo, Utah, the second of five boys born to Boyd and Delphia Davis of Orem. He loved music, became proficient in the piano, saxophone, and clarinet, supporting himself in high school and college by playing in dance bands. He later played in the Utah Valley Symphony for over 20 years. He served an LDS mission to Germany from 1950-1953, graduated from BYU and U of U medical school, and married Betty Jo Page of Pleasant Grove in 1954. They had 8 children together. Duane served in the Public Health Service and the family lived briefly in Seattle, WA, Lexington, KY, and Baltimore, MD, but eventually settled in Orem, where they spent most of their lives. Dr. Davis practiced as a Urologist in Provo, and was well-loved by both patients and staff at Utah Valley Hospital for many years. He served as a bishop at BYU and on the high council at BYU and for his local church wards.

In 1984 Duane and Betty Jo divorced, and Duane married Dani Eyer, of Fremont, CA. They settled at Sundance, UT, and had 2 children together. The couple later divorced. He is survived by his brothers Delmar, Lorin, and Roger, his children Mark (Andi) of Orem, John (Lisa) of St. George, Steven (Michele) of St. George, Anne (Alan Barker) or Boothbay ME, Michael (Giselle) of Copley OH, Alan (Debi) of Mesa AZ, Jeffrey (Kara) of Alpine, Randall (Angela) of Copley OH, Elaine (Asher Moody-Davis) of Emeryville CA, and Davey of Salt Lake City, 39 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Leland.

Duane felt a strong need to serve and help people throughout his life, and hundreds of diverse people benefitted from his expertise and assistance, from his urology patients, to stranded drivers on the side of the highway, to multiple extended family members and friends in need of his loyalty and support.

Duane loved the outdoors, and frequently took his family skiing, hiking, fishing, and boating, particularly at Lake Powell. Duane also owned horses, and made a pretty fair alfalfa farmer in his spare time. Duane loved motorcycles, cars, and airplanes, earned his pilot’s license, and flew his Piper Comanche all over the country, including Alaska.

Duane had a deep appreciation of beauty in all forms, from art and music to wildflowers and desert sunsets. Duane was highly intelligent and skilled in multiple areas of expertise, and his children testify of the myriad things he taught them, including how to: properly back up a trailer; wind a length of rope or extension cord so it won’t tangle; perform an emergency landing in a an airplane; dissect a Sunday roast; countersteer a motorcycle; tie a suture or attach a fishing lure; pull someone up on a water ski; identify all local trees; evaluate a Porsche window’s cleanliness; discern between a '46 Packard and a '46 Hudson from half a mile away; relocate a dislocated radius bone; hit a milk jug at 400 yards with the first shot from a deer rifle; use a sharpening steel; select the proper 9/16" box end wrench from the toolbox just by feel; appreciate a symphony or cry during a pipe organ recital; and take time to pause and appreciate a beautiful sunset.

Godspeed, Duane… we will miss you, particularly when reminded by the smell of cedar and fine leather, or the taste of salt and pepper on cantaloupe.

The family would like to thank the staff of Brookdale Southgate Assisted Living facility, Intermountain Home Care and Hospice and Dr. Tyler Haberle for their loving care of Duane.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 S State, Orem, UT. A viewing will be held Saturday, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the mortuary, prior to the services. Burial will be in the Orem City Cemetery.