Doris Ann Bodily

Doris Ann Bodily passed away on her birthday. Ninety-six years earlier, she was born on October 21, 1930, in Malad, Idaho, born to Byron D. and Mary Pearl Evans Jones.

Doris Ann spent her early years in Malad, Idaho, Chicago, Illinois, and LaCrosse, Wisconsin. When her parents returned west, they settled in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where she attended Emerson Elementary and Idaho Falls High School. After high school, she studied at the Idaho Falls Business College, studying secretarial science.

As a young woman she rode horses on the family ranch near Warm Springs, Idaho, fed turkeys on a property near Pinecrest Golf Course, and enjoyed ice skating in a nearby city park. As her father was a highly trained vocalist, she was required to learn the piano and sing. A favorite memory was listening to her play Debussy and other music. With that she loved to sing, listen to music, and attempted to teach her children the things she loved. Not one of her children ever exceeded her musical skills in piano or song.

At age sixteen, Doris Ann was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it became a guiding light to her profoundly faithful life. She would serve in many church callings and serve three full-time missions: Kiribati, Nauvoo, and a Navajo mission in southern Utah, and northern Arizona. Before that, however, she made other plans.

In her late teens she met Ronald H. Bodily, of Iona, Idaho. After some dating they became engaged. Then, she would have to wait for Ronald to serve an LDS mission. Upon his return, they were married on September 8, 1950, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. About fifteen months later Doris Ann delivered her first child. Doris Ann and Ronald became the parents of five children: Alan R. (Penelope) Bodily, Sheila (Edward) Hayden, Vince J. (Susan) Bodily, Brenda Bodily, and Rochelle (Curtis) Ricks.

Raising three beautiful daughters, Doris Ann became a highly accomplished seamstress, always sewing new prom dresses and other clothing for her daughters. She also quilted. The two boys settled for store bought clothing but were the beneficiaries of splendid Halloween costumes sewed by their Mother. As arthritis crept into her joints and her children moved onto their own families, she gradually surrendered to other activities. She loved to read, continuing to do so until her death. She also did genealogical indexing, served in the LDS temple, and loved to travel. With that, Doris Ann was involved in much more than husband, family, and church.

For much of her adult life, Doris Ann served in the community. An initial public service was as a “candy-striper” at the Idaho Falls Hospital, where she volunteered for many years. Later, after she and Ronald returned from an LDS missions, she returned to hospital volunteering, serving for many years at EIRMC as a volunteer and on the board of volunteers. Doris Ann also worked outside the home. She was an office worker for the Boy Scouts of America to support her sons and one daughter on LDS missions. Moving on from the BSA, she was the office manager for LDS Social Services, from which she retired. Doris Ann enjoyed a long life, filled with employment, family, much service, and a pursuit of other things she loved.

Doris Ann was preceded in death by her husband of seventy years, Ronald H. Bodily; her parents; and three siblings, Eloise Jones, Sherry (Jerry) Edwards, and Byron D. Jones.

She is survived by her children and their spouses; eighteen of nineteen grandchldren, and twenty-one great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Iona 12th Ward, 5169 Denning Avenue, Iona, Idaho. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. prior to the services at the church.

Our thanks and gratitude extend to Hospice of Eastern Idaho for their expertise and loving care for our Mother.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.woodfuneralhome.com.