Written by her children with love, Todd, Diana, Bonnie Anne, Tracey, Terry, and Kathy 

Bonnie Davis (Bonita Williams) was born April 14, 1941, in Malad, Idaho. She was the youngest of ten children born to John Haynes Williams and Eleanor Jones. She has four sisters and five brothers. Her family lived at Daniels, Idaho, then later moved to town (Malad) to a three- bedroom, little brown home located on 500 North 150 West, which they still owned and kept up until the spring of 2013.   

Bonnie started school at the age of six in the Oneida County Elementary. Mom was a junior high cheerleader and a member of the pep club and drill team. She also marched and twirled batons wearing costumes and a tall hat in the parades. She graduated from Malad High School on May 18, 1959.   

While growing up, she played the piano, liked to embroider, crochet and participate in church softball, volleyball and basketball. She belonged to the Monday Night Ladies Bowling Team with Carla Williams, Linda Daniels and Vicki Ekstrom.  

Mom remembered at the earliest time of her life that her dad was her idol. He could do no wrong in her eyes. She remembers when going to school she would meet him outside the house, and he would put both hands in his pocket and bring up some small change and lots of bolts. He would meet Mom at the corner at noon hour, and she would ride home with him and his dog, Tim, in a very old car with no backseat. She would sit with him at nights and split oranges or do whatever he was doing. She was his little shadow. Every night at bedtime, she would run and jump in and her dad would turn out the lights. She loved him dearly. At the age of sixteen, Mom’s daddy passed away. It totally broke her heart, but it gave her the opportunity to become very close to her mother.   

Her mother totally spoiled her and was there whenever she needed her. Mom and Eleanor spent the next two years spoiling each other. One funny little story about our Mom is that she hated bread crust. The dinner table had drawers underneath so when Mom thought no one was looking, she would quietly open the drawer and hide her crust. Only till Saturdays, when her older sister, Eddis, would do the weekly cleaning and find Mom’s crust from the week. Mom spoiled us by making bread in Crisco tin cans so the only part of homemade bread that had crust was the top. They looked like mushrooms. Either Dad or the cats were the lucky winners to eat the crust. To this day, she still doesn’t eat her crust but neither do her children and a few grandchildren.  

Bonnie married Gary T. Davis on August 21, 1959. Their married was later solemnized in the Logan LDS Temple on August 3, 1960. Gary and Bonnie had six children, three boys and three girls: Gary Todd, Diana Lynne, Bonnie Anne, Samuel Tracey, Terry John and Eleanor Kathleen.  Gary and Bonnie were married for 25 years and later divorced on April 10, 1985.   

Mom’s mother, Eleanor, passed away on December 10, 1975. This was a very devastating day for Bonnie. It left a huge hole in her life. Her parents meant the world to her.   

Bonnie worked as a saleswoman in 1957 at the Allen Drug, was a housewife for 25 years, a typesetter/secretary at The Idaho Enterprise, and in 1987 through 2010, she worked as an Engineering Planner at Thiokol, and as a sales woman at Thomas Market. 

Bonnie is also a very motivated woman. She loves to cook and do any kind of craft. Every year, the Saturday before Christmas, she holds her famous Family Christmas Party. About 80-90 family members are all tucked into the corners and all throughout her home in St. John. It is something that everyone looks forward to to start off their holiday season.   

She has also been serving as a tour guide at the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City for almost five years and loves to talk to people and learn more about the church. She is also big into genealogy and has traced our family lines back many generations. Because of her, we will all be able to learn more about our ancestors and be able to help those who have passed on.   

Mom is the proud mother of six kids, three sons-in-law and two daughters-in-law, grandmother of 15 grandchildren and two great- grandchildren. She loves every minute that she gets to spend with her family. According to her, “Family is Everything!” She loves going to see the grandchildren’s activities and to participate in her children’s lives. She enjoys the association she still has with her brothers and sisters. Mom has said, “There is nothing more important to me than giving love and being loved in return. My life is very full and having the church to enrich it makes everything complete.”   

We would like to dedicate the next paragraphs to you Mom from each of your six children and their families. 

From Todd – 

Mom and I have always been close. Over the years, I shared many triumphs and disappointments with her, and we’ve experienced lots of laughs and tears together. As is inevitable with most children, I’ve caused her a great deal of anguish, stress, worry, and pain throughout my life, but we’ve survived, and our relationship has grown stronger as a result. Even though I live a fair distance from Malad, and I only get back every few years for extended visits, we still speak on the telephone two or three times a week. We’ve even started using Skype, although it doesn’t feel quite as natural yet as just talking on the phone. We never end the phone call without saying I love you at least once. I miss her cooking, although she still sends me homemade candy now and again, which I share with my friends and colleagues. They consider her to be a master candy maker, and they inevitably look forward to the holidays with great anticipation. She has always been there for me, even though we sometimes don’t agree or see eye to eye on everything. She’s my mom, and I love her just a little more every single day. Love you! Todd 

From Diana – 

My mom is an amazing woman and is very selfless. She has always taken care of everyone else’s needs before her own. Growing up, my mom was my biggest support system. She was always there for me attending all of my drill team performances, sporting events and every other activity I was involved in. Still today, she is a big part of my life and loves to spend time with my family. I look up to her so much and have learned so many valuable lessons from her. She taught me how to cook and love to make crafts and to be the best mom and grandma that I can.  Not only is my Mom my mother, but she is also my best friend, someone that I can count on at all times. If I had been given a choice to choose a mom, I couldn’t have hand picked a better one than Bonnie Davis. I love you Mom!  Diana 

From Bonnie Anne –  

The definition of a Mom is someone who loves unconditionally and places the need of her children above her own, on a personal level, and not only with words, but also with actions. I can honestly say that Bonnie Davis not only qualifies but also goes beyond for the title “Mom”. My Mom was my personal taxi driver, vet, nurse, school teacher, book writer, personal cheerleader, craft instructor, chef (amazing food except for her onion potatoes and tomato-base Swiss steak that we had to eat), babysitter, example of how to live righteously and love unconditionally but most of all, one of my very best friends. Thanks for being the greatest example ever – to both me and my family. Thanks for riding my bumpy road and always being there for me. I love you Mom to the end of the world and back. You are amazing!  Bonnie Anne 

From Tracey –  

Mom/Grandma – whichever one I decide to call her when I see her – she is good at both so it doesn’t really matter. My Mom is a very special person to me. She has always been there for me and supported me in all that I have done. She is a very caring and loving person, which shows in how she lives her life. Service – that’s what my Mom does. She is always trying to make someone’s life a little easier. Sometimes it is a bag of cookies or a snack for me or the kids, a quick visit when I’m passing by, or a list of other things. Either way it is appreciated. Mom always says if anything ever happened to her I would be the last one to know. She is probably right! So thanks for all you have done and continue to do for me and my family. Love you! Tracey 

From Terry – 

I can always count on my Mom cheering me on no matter where or what I am involved in. It seems like from the time I was five-years old, while free styling wrestling until I graduated, that we traveled to every corner of Idaho, and parts of Utah and Wyoming. She never missed a match and was right there with an arm around me, no matter what the outcome. Love You! Terry 

From Kathy – 

I am so grateful for the relationship that I have with my Mother! As the youngest of six children, I was able to spend a lot of quality time alone with her. I’m not sure if she truly understands how much I have always looked up to her. I see her as one of the strongest women that I have ever known. She is extremely talented, loving, and supportive. I have always looked up to her for what she has accomplished, but most of all for what she has helped me to accomplish! When times have been hard, she has always told me that I could make it through because I am a Williams and we are strong! They always say to give credit where credit is deserved, so that recipient would have to be my Mom. Thank you for your unconditional love, for your faith, for your kindness and dedication. Thank you for your example, for your teachings about the importance of family, for your thoughtfulness and graciousness. Most of all, thank you for always being there for my family and me. My kids adore you and I look forward to every day that I get to talk to you, vent to you, laugh and cry with you. Thank you, from the deepest part of my heart! I love you MOM!!! Kathy