June Davis

“I, June Danks, was born on February 7, 1920, In Evanston, Uinta County, Wyoming at 212 County Road, the home of my maternal grandparents, John Edward Owen and Annie Maria Wagstaff Phipps. At the time of my birth my parents were living on the Danks ranch located just across from the city cemetery on the County Road. My parents are Dewey Lawrence and Hilda Phipps Danks.”
So begins the personal history of our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, June Danks Davis. June passed away quietly and peacefully on December 4, 2012 in the home she loved and enjoyed since her and her loving husband, Melvin Joseph Davis, moved in in 1946. We are certain that the first waltz with her husband of 59 years has already taken place.
June married Melvin on May 27, 1939 in Ogden, Utah. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake City Temple on March 7, 1951. She was the mother of 4 children, Maureen June (Ellingford); Wilfrid Lawrence; Melvin Joseph, Jr.; and William Rex. Her legacy has grown to include 26 grandchildren, 65 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
As a young girl, June lived in Almy and in Evanston where she enjoyed many friends and learned to work hard alongside her father and other family members taking care of many ranching chores. She began her education at  the age of 5 when her mother lied about her age and enrolled her in grade school. She attended schools in both Evanston and Almy, graduating from the brand new Evanston High School in 1937. She enjoyed school and was an honor roll student. She was also involved in many school activities and was a member of the “Pepsters” performing at half-times of football and basket ball games.
June began working at the Wyoming State Hospital in 1957 as a part time switchboard operator and typist. She retired from the hospital in 1982 after working many years as the Executive Secretary to the Superintendent of the hospital. She enjoyed working at the hospital and made many lifelong friends while working there. For many years her shorthand and typing skills were utilized as she recorded and typed hundreds of blessings given by two Stake Patriarchs, William T. Rex and J. Wilburn Bowns.
A talented seamstress, she made many of her own dresses and other outfits for work and fashioned many clothes for her family and others. She was always crocheting or knitting an afghan, a dress for a doll, scarves and mittens, or new doilies. Her love for her family was apparent in the efforts, along with her husband, to see that there were family dinners and get togethers on very regular basis-like almost every Sunday for many years. While Melvin was in the backyard getting the grill ready, June would be in the kitchen making dozens of hamburger patties, getting the salads in order, the drinks ready and hustling everything outside at just the right time for wonderful family hamburger fries. She enjoyed the company of many good friends spending many evenings playing cards, sharing stories, and good times with them.
As a young mother she served as a secretary and teacher in the Primary and was a counselor in the M.I.A. youth program. Alongside her husband she served as a worker in the Ogden Temple where she served for 6 years, traveling to Ogden twice a week to provide this service. She loved this service. She also spent many years involved working diligently from her home with the name extraction program.
June was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Joseph Davis, her daughter, Maureen June Ellingford; one son, Wilfrid Lawrence, one sister, Dorothy Lucile (Evans); one grandson, Dewey Lawence Davis (D.L.); one great-grandson Hayden Ellingford; and one daughter-in-law, Marilyn Kay (Clark) Davis. She is survived by her sons Melvin Joseph (Annette) in West Jordan,Utah and William Rex (Julia) in Evanston, one sister, Lila LaFern (Kiddy) of Napa, California, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 8, 2012 beginning at 2:00pm in the L.D.S Chapel on Elm Street where friends may also visit beginning at 12:30pm. Interment will be in the Evanston City Cemetery. Crandall Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
The family wishes to thank the management and staff of Best Home Health and Hospice for the kind and loving care given to June over the past several months. She was a tough customer we know, never feeling that she needed any outside help, but she did appreciate the many visits and care given.