LaVora Palmer (Vorie) Davis passed away peacefully on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, at her home at Guardian Angel Homes in Post Falls, Idaho, from conditions attendant to aging. She was surrounded in her last days by loving family and a staff of devoted caregivers.

Vorie was born on April 4, 1915, in Forrest Dale, Utah, the second of three children born to Eva Allen and Roswell Potter Palmer. Her family relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah, and she attended public schools there, graduating from South High School. She went on to graduate from LDS Business College and then to work as a young professional woman in Salt Lake City. She was an accomplished stenographer and office manager for a prominent real estate and investment firm for most of that time.

On May 21, 1937, Vorie married Ray Lewis Davis (whom she had earlier met on a blind date to play tennis); they settled in Layton, Utah, north of Salt Lake, where they lived for more than 40 years. Vorie and Ray were blessed with four children, and during their early years in Layton, Vorie was busy at home with their care. Later, she worked as the school secretary at Layton Elementary School for principal Golden Adams, and upon his retirement for principal Forest Barker.

Although Vorie befriended virtually everyone she met, her love for children was legendary. At any family gathering she could be found dancing cheek to cheek with babies or sitting on the floor surrounded by a circle of little ones playing games, reading stories or in general enchanting and enthralling them. She volunteered as a teacher's aide at the local elementary school, helping youngsters hone their reading and arithmetic skills; she taught Sunday School for young children and early teens, and she was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader at one time or another.

Those who knew her best, be they child or adult, remember her as an exceptionally bright woman with a wicked sense of humor. She was also gentle, understanding and an excellent listener. Her children all had the experience in their teenage years of coming home and finding one or two of their friends sitting with Vorie, having stopped by just to talk. She counseled them, admonished them when necessary, and listened to them right along with her own children. Make no mistake, Vorie could be tenacious (some would say downright stubborn) about things of importance such as family, integrity, or ethics. With Vorie, things that were right were right, and if they were wrong, someone was going to hear about it.

But Vorie's life was not all about kids. After Ray's retirement, she and Ray could often be found fishing together on the small lakes and reservoirs of northern Utah and southeastern Idaho. Not all that fond of fishing, Vorie often spent days in their camper and hours in their small boat just because she loved to be with Ray and knew of his love for fishing and the outdoors. Interestingly though, when she did throw a line into the water, it wasn't uncommon for Vorie to catch the biggest fish.

A few years after Ray's passing in 1979, Vorie moved to Hayden, Idaho, to be near her daughter, Barbara Secord, and her family. She lived in Hayden for about 12 years where she was actively involved with a circle of fun loving friends. She loved to dance, and was on the floor at least once or twice a week at the local senior center or Elks Club. She belonged to The Rambling Rovers Travel Group, to a line dancing group, and to a neighborhood card group; she was part of a senior exercise group; she played golf; and she belonged to the Silver Lake Striders (a walking group who honored her in her 90th year with an award for walking more than 400 miles that year at the local mall).

Vorie moved to Guardian Angel Homes in Post Falls, Idaho, in 2005 when her eyesight began to seriously deteriorate from macular degeneration. When many would have despaired, she accepted losing her eyesight with the courage and dignity that her family has always known and admired in her, keeping her complaints to herself, and moving forward to enjoy the activities available to her - especially the musical entertainment, crafts and riding the exercise machine which until fairly recently she did after every meal. Of course her favorite pastimes over the years were visits with family, and family outings on special occasions. In the time she was at Guardian Angel Homes, she endeared herself to many of the care staff and became something of an all around institution.

Vorie was preceded in death by her husband, Ray L. Davis (1909 - 1979). She is survived by her four children: LaRae Davis of Post Falls, Barbara Secord (Bill) of Elk, Wash., Glen Palmer Davis (Leslie) of Salt Lake City, and Douglas Ray Davis (Nancy) of Anchorage, Alaska; eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the caregivers and staff at Guardian Angel Homes for their tireless commitment to Vorie's care and well being, certainly overall, but especially in recent days. We also wish to thank Hospice of North Idaho for their care in her final days.

Friends may visit the family from 2 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d'Alene Chapel. Services will be held at a later date in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Please visit Vorie's online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.