Farewell for Grant Davis
Last night we attended the viewing for my brother-in-law, Grant Davis. My sister, Mindy, said Grant told her he didn't think he really had any friends. She said, "Tonight I've stood in line for 3 1/2 hours greeting a lot of people who aren't his friends."
Among others who came a great distance, my uncle Bob drove from St. George. Julie Wang flew from Toronto, Canada. Bob and Katherine Pederson, and Moyne Osborn came from Salt Lake City. Grant's brother, Dan, came from Los Angeles.
The funeral director told me today that 400 people came through the line at the viewing.
(My uncle Bob's first wife died of cancer. He told me at the viewing that his current wife's first husband died -- while their son was serving his mission in Alaska).
Last week we attended Elder Max Davis's missionary farewell in Rexburg, Idaho. Today we attended his father's farewell. It was also his youngest son, Gabe's, 13th birthday.
We began the day at the chapel videotaping a conversation among family and friends reminiscing about Grant.
Grant's son, Elder Max Davis, flew into Idaho Falls this morning and gave the family prayer before the casket was closed. The stake center and cultural hall were full. Among others who came a long distance, Cindy's best friend, Marcie Duston, drove from St. George to be with Cindy for the funeral.
At the beginning of the service, 16 year-old Molly tenderly played a plaintive violin solo ("Meditation" by Massenet), accompanied by Grant's mother (Molly's Grandmother), Jeannine Davis. I offered the opening prayer. Among other things, "Lord, we don't understand. But we accept. Blessed be thy name."
Grant's lifelong friend, Jay Burrup, gave a life sketch, tracing their friendship from boyhood days in Downey, Idaho ("our Norman Rockwell painting, our Lake Wobegon -- without the lake"), to Grant's recent good-humored email support of Jay in a difficult bishop assignment. Jay painted a wonderful human portrait of a good, intelligent, inquisitive, and faithful friend -- a "reluctant renaissance man".
Eric Barton, a dear friend and Rexburg doctor, discussed Grant's impact as a brilliant Harvard-educated, world-class physician who chose to practice in the community of Rexburg, how Grant loved to help and heal, and how he had left his mark in seven years of practice here (including with Eric's own daughter -- as he stitched up her ear, she kept asking when he was going to start, and he told her he was just cleaning it first -- finally telling her, to her surprise, that he was all finished, including the stitches).
Richard and Karalyn Ferguson then played a viola and violin duet, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing / If I Could Hie to Kolob". The Davis's home teacher had sung "Come Thou Fount" last week at Max's farewell. Intertwining it with "If I Could Hie to Kolob" fused the two farewells and combined flight imagery with Grant's passing.
Rexburg 16th Ward Bishop John Ivers then spoke about a tombstone he had seen with the inscription "Someday you'll understand." He spoke about what we understand now about the Gospel. And he paraphrased the Savior on the cross to 13 year-old Gabe: "Here is your father... and here is your father..." (speaking of home teachers, scout leaders, bishopric members, family friends, etc.)
Stake President Gregory Moeller next spoke about Grant's healing touch on the Moeller family (tonsils out and some stitches), how Grant had done the right things in his own way (quoting Frost's "The Road Not Taken") and how picturing Grant soaring in the clouds thinking of his family, and now soaring with the angels and thinking of his family, brought peace. He also quoted Neal Maxwell twice (paraphrased here): there are so many exit routes from mortality that our faith can't block them all; and, after grief puts holes in our heart, one day they will be reservoirs of joy.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the final speaker. He spoke tenderly and directly to Mindy and her children. He said he spoke as one was was a bit farther down the same path (he lost his wife several years ago), and that Grant would be close, that, although they could not speak, they would communicate and he would be there for the family in troubled times. He told Max that he could best help his family and bless their lives by serving his mission. And he told Molly to continue to develop her talents and gifts, including showing love and tenderness in supporting Mindy. And he told Gabe to always remind people who said his dad "was" a great man, that he "is" a great man. Finally, he fervently testified that no righteous man is ever taken before his time. And he bore strong apostolic witness of the promise of eternal life and the power of sealing covenants.
We sang "Be Still My Soul" for the closing hymn, and Grant's friend, Vince Whitehead, gave the closing prayer, praying that the community's support for the family would continue.
Grant's sons Max and Gabe, my son's Jed and Dave, Dan Davis, Mark Reynolds, Jay Burrup, Cory Allsop, and I served as pallbearers. It was a simple but beautiful wooden casket, with a single long-stem red rose and a white ribbon placed on top.
Rexburg police and Madison County sheriffs blocked traffic and led the funeral procession.
Grant was buried in the Rexburg City Cemetary. Visitors to the grave will be able to look south to the new temple when it is constructed (the groundbreaking was last week).
Grant's dad, Dale Davis, dedicated the grave. Among other things, he said that "All the good things you could say about a man could be said of Grant." It had been a calm and sunny day, but the wind picked up. It was a good day for lift, for soaring.
Afterwards, we returned to the stake center for a meal prepared by the Relief Society: ham, "funeral potatoes", tossed green and assorted fruit and Jello salads, and pie and cake. (Too often we take the Relief Society for granted. Always quietly there. I thanked as many sisters as I could find). During the meal, several of her friends presented Mindy with a memory quilt they had made in the past 48 hours.
After the meal, we returned to Mindy's where Max gave Mindy a priesthood blessing (he had given Molly a blessing earlier in the day). Then we took Max to the airport to return to the MTC. On the way, he spoke excitedly with Mindy about his time in the MTC so far.
The wind brought with it dark clouds and a sunset rain. Air washed clean.
May God's blessing through caring friends and family be with and comfort Mindy and her family in the coming months and years ahead.
"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; . . . and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4)
Among others who came a great distance, my uncle Bob drove from St. George. Julie Wang flew from Toronto, Canada. Bob and Katherine Pederson, and Moyne Osborn came from Salt Lake City. Grant's brother, Dan, came from Los Angeles.
The funeral director told me today that 400 people came through the line at the viewing.
(My uncle Bob's first wife died of cancer. He told me at the viewing that his current wife's first husband died -- while their son was serving his mission in Alaska).
Last week we attended Elder Max Davis's missionary farewell in Rexburg, Idaho. Today we attended his father's farewell. It was also his youngest son, Gabe's, 13th birthday.
We began the day at the chapel videotaping a conversation among family and friends reminiscing about Grant.
Grant's son, Elder Max Davis, flew into Idaho Falls this morning and gave the family prayer before the casket was closed. The stake center and cultural hall were full. Among others who came a long distance, Cindy's best friend, Marcie Duston, drove from St. George to be with Cindy for the funeral.
At the beginning of the service, 16 year-old Molly tenderly played a plaintive violin solo ("Meditation" by Massenet), accompanied by Grant's mother (Molly's Grandmother), Jeannine Davis. I offered the opening prayer. Among other things, "Lord, we don't understand. But we accept. Blessed be thy name."
Grant's lifelong friend, Jay Burrup, gave a life sketch, tracing their friendship from boyhood days in Downey, Idaho ("our Norman Rockwell painting, our Lake Wobegon -- without the lake"), to Grant's recent good-humored email support of Jay in a difficult bishop assignment. Jay painted a wonderful human portrait of a good, intelligent, inquisitive, and faithful friend -- a "reluctant renaissance man".
Eric Barton, a dear friend and Rexburg doctor, discussed Grant's impact as a brilliant Harvard-educated, world-class physician who chose to practice in the community of Rexburg, how Grant loved to help and heal, and how he had left his mark in seven years of practice here (including with Eric's own daughter -- as he stitched up her ear, she kept asking when he was going to start, and he told her he was just cleaning it first -- finally telling her, to her surprise, that he was all finished, including the stitches).
Richard and Karalyn Ferguson then played a viola and violin duet, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing / If I Could Hie to Kolob". The Davis's home teacher had sung "Come Thou Fount" last week at Max's farewell. Intertwining it with "If I Could Hie to Kolob" fused the two farewells and combined flight imagery with Grant's passing.
Rexburg 16th Ward Bishop John Ivers then spoke about a tombstone he had seen with the inscription "Someday you'll understand." He spoke about what we understand now about the Gospel. And he paraphrased the Savior on the cross to 13 year-old Gabe: "Here is your father... and here is your father..." (speaking of home teachers, scout leaders, bishopric members, family friends, etc.)
Stake President Gregory Moeller next spoke about Grant's healing touch on the Moeller family (tonsils out and some stitches), how Grant had done the right things in his own way (quoting Frost's "The Road Not Taken") and how picturing Grant soaring in the clouds thinking of his family, and now soaring with the angels and thinking of his family, brought peace. He also quoted Neal Maxwell twice (paraphrased here): there are so many exit routes from mortality that our faith can't block them all; and, after grief puts holes in our heart, one day they will be reservoirs of joy.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the final speaker. He spoke tenderly and directly to Mindy and her children. He said he spoke as one was was a bit farther down the same path (he lost his wife several years ago), and that Grant would be close, that, although they could not speak, they would communicate and he would be there for the family in troubled times. He told Max that he could best help his family and bless their lives by serving his mission. And he told Molly to continue to develop her talents and gifts, including showing love and tenderness in supporting Mindy. And he told Gabe to always remind people who said his dad "was" a great man, that he "is" a great man. Finally, he fervently testified that no righteous man is ever taken before his time. And he bore strong apostolic witness of the promise of eternal life and the power of sealing covenants.
We sang "Be Still My Soul" for the closing hymn, and Grant's friend, Vince Whitehead, gave the closing prayer, praying that the community's support for the family would continue.
Grant's sons Max and Gabe, my son's Jed and Dave, Dan Davis, Mark Reynolds, Jay Burrup, Cory Allsop, and I served as pallbearers. It was a simple but beautiful wooden casket, with a single long-stem red rose and a white ribbon placed on top.
Rexburg police and Madison County sheriffs blocked traffic and led the funeral procession.
Grant was buried in the Rexburg City Cemetary. Visitors to the grave will be able to look south to the new temple when it is constructed (the groundbreaking was last week).
Grant's dad, Dale Davis, dedicated the grave. Among other things, he said that "All the good things you could say about a man could be said of Grant." It had been a calm and sunny day, but the wind picked up. It was a good day for lift, for soaring.
Afterwards, we returned to the stake center for a meal prepared by the Relief Society: ham, "funeral potatoes", tossed green and assorted fruit and Jello salads, and pie and cake. (Too often we take the Relief Society for granted. Always quietly there. I thanked as many sisters as I could find). During the meal, several of her friends presented Mindy with a memory quilt they had made in the past 48 hours.
After the meal, we returned to Mindy's where Max gave Mindy a priesthood blessing (he had given Molly a blessing earlier in the day). Then we took Max to the airport to return to the MTC. On the way, he spoke excitedly with Mindy about his time in the MTC so far.
The wind brought with it dark clouds and a sunset rain. Air washed clean.
May God's blessing through caring friends and family be with and comfort Mindy and her family in the coming months and years ahead.
"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; . . . and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4)
posted by Barney at 10:15 PM
3 Comments:
Thank you for this touching account of Grant's funeral. I thought about it all day yesterday, and very much regret that I could not be there. I think I would have tried to make it if not for the fact that only a few days before, I had spent some of our scarce funds to book flight reservations for Sheila and Vanessa, who will be returning home this coming Monday night. But I was definitely present in spirit.
I'm glad Mindy is doing well. I think the really hard time for her is going to start in another week or two, now that the funeral is all over and everyone else is starting to get back into the routine of life. Then the reality of what has happened will really start to sink in. Now Mindy has to establish a whole new routine, and do so from scratch. She will need plenty of help from all of us, and she is fortunate to come from such a closely-knit and supportive family.
I just ran on to this Blog doing a search for Grant. I knew Grant growing up in Downey Idaho. He was a year younger than me in school, but we knew that he was destined for great things. I was friends with Danny as well. This account was very nice and inspirational.
Thanks for posting.
Garth Hadley
Wow. You need to know that Grant was my doctor. He removed my thyroid all but a tiny piece on my vocal chords. When my thyroid grew back from this, I remember Grant looking puzzled. I had gone to his office for years trying to figure out what to do. We finally decided to have Dr. Davis remove the piece of thyroid that was growing back, and when I went to set the appointment, I was notified of his death and that the funeral was over. If he had not passed away when he did, the miracles in my life through my thyroid would not have come to pass. He was a great man, and I am amazed how someone like he is could think that he had no friends. It just goes to show how even we can not place our own value on ourselves as accurately as our Heavenly Father can! Best of luck to his family! You can read my blog at www.dimplesandsmilesinmyheart.blogspot.com
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