Gayla Lou Johnston Davis

Gayla was born on January 8, 1961, and passed away February 26, 2025, at her home in Graham, Washington. She was 64 years young. Gayla was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Alyce Woolf Grover and Jack Grover and was later adopted by her step-father.

Raised in Iona, Idaho, Gayla often talked about the cattle drives in the spring and fall when we would spend days on horseback driving the cows up to the mountains. She spent the summers working on her grandparent's farm and cherished the time she was able to spend with them.

In her youth, Gayla traveled with her family attending schools in Boston, San Diego, and Pittsburgh, and eventually graduated early from Bonneville High School, Class of 1979. While in high school, she participated in sports, excelling in volleyball and basketball. After high school, she worked in banking and insurance, but ultimately became a stay-at-home mom and grandmother.

Gayla was the ultimate homemaker and cherished her time with her grandchildren. She has a very special relationship with each of them. She loved gardening and watching the deer that came to give birth in her backyard each year. Gayla enjoyed the swarms of humming birds that she made gardens for at her home. She loved animals, and until recently, there were always a few cats and a wayward dog or two that she would take in. She was the backbone of her family and will be missed tremendously.

Gayla loved when her mother came to visit or when her sister would get tickets to concerts, the symphony, or theater, these opportunities allowed her to have what she called "some culture in her life." She told her sister that their escapades together were life changing for her opening her eyes to so much more of the world around her.

Gayla is survived by her life partner, Don Davis, although never officially married they have been committed to one another for 47 years. Gayla is also survived by her three boys, Jeremy, Brandon (Krissy) and Shane (Kristina) Davis; and six grandchildren, Hailey, Carter, Lillian, Preston, Xander, and Remy; her father, Jack (Roberta) Grover; and her older brother and sister, Troy Johnston and A. Kim Johnston. Gayla also has a loving extended family of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Alyce (Richard) Sommerville; her grandparents, Rex and Berniece Woolf; and her aunt and uncle, Vet and Patricia Woolf.

At Gayla's request, there will be no services. She chose cremation which is being handled by Cremation Plus in Puyallup, Washington.

Please celebrate Gayla's life by being kind to a stray animal or a person in need. Kindness and compassion was key to the wonderful life Gayla lived.