Roger Davis

Roger Lynn Davis was born in Price, Utah on September 28th, 1941 to Stella Draper and John H. Davis. He grew up in the coal mining town of Hiawatha and later moved to Wellington. One of the highlights of his childhood was raising a pet badger. He graduated from Carbon High School. He enjoyed football, baseball and scouting. However, boxing seemed to be his real love, eventually leading him to become a golden glove boxer.

Roger served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central Atlantic States Mission. When he returned from his mission, he attended college at the University of Utah. In the summers, he worked in Yellowstone and later Zion, the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon where he drove a tour bus. He had many crazy and wonderful adventures during this time and created incredible lifelong friends.

Roger was drafted into the Vietnam War and served honorably in the 101st Airborne. After returning from the war he completed his Master's degree in Fine Art from the University of Utah. While serving in Vietnam he would sketch to mentally escape from negative situations. His sketches, which were later seen in his art, represented those who didn't come home and those who did. They became the basis of his Master's Thesis in ceramics and later became the basis of his pottery business, The Village Duck Works. His pottery could be seen throughout Utah and the West in galleries and at art shows. He traveled to many art festivals across the United States with his family in tow. When explaining his art work and the images he created he said, "they are not a political statement or a judgmental statement about the war but are a result of it. They are a statement on our ability to bounce back from adversity or embarrassment. They are those things we would maybe like to forget, but our friends won't let us. They are man's ability to laugh at himself, an acknowledgment that we all make mistakes." His work mainly consisted of plates, pots and cylinders with whimsical ducks crashing into them, which usually brought smiles and laughter to those who saw them.

Roger enjoyed sharing his love of pottery with others and taught throughout the state. He worked part-time at Utah Valley University for years and also gave private lessons to local kids around the valley. When his children were young, he enjoyed doing pottery demonstrations at the Elementary Schools. Roger was always willing to help show anyone who stopped by how to throw a pot. They always left feeling like they were an artistic prodigy.

Roger met Gwen Davis at the University of Utah and they were married in 1972. Together they raised four children, Emilie, Garrett, Darby and Christopher. They built a home in Highland, Utah in Bull River, an artist community, which he helped develop. This became a strong and magical environment of friendships for him and his family.

When Roger wasn't in his studio throwing pots, he devoted his attention to his family and his love of collecting. He was an avid collector of baseball cards, comics, McDonald toys, rocks, pins, old brass instruments, antiques, old ties, walking sticks, marbles and just about anything else that others may overlook or find mundane. He had an amazing ability to find beauty in simple objects.

Roger had an amazing way with all living things, both animals and people. He had a magnetic personality and he genuinely cared about all with whom he interacted. His soft heart always led him to advocate for the underdog. Roger was an amazing storyteller and loved telling stories of growing up in Carbon County and the crazy adventures he had with his fellow "Gear Jammers" driving buses in the parks.

Never was there a more talented, original, genuine, kind and generous man. He'd give you the shirt off his back and his very last dollar if you needed it. He was loved by all who knew him and will be greatly missed.

Roger is preceded in death by his parents John and Stella, his brothers Larry and Jon, and his son Christopher. He is survived by his daughter Emilie Lefler (spouse Adrian and their children Sydnee, Gabrielle, Zach and Seth); son Garrett Davis (spouse Britta and their sons Carter, Liam, Asa, Simon and McKay); and daughter Darby NeVille (spouse Ryan and their children Luke and Mila).


The Funeral service for Roger Davis will be held on Friday, at 11:00 AM at Anderson & Sons Lone Peak Chapel, 6141 West 11000 North, Highland. A viewing will be held Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and Friday from 9:45-10:45 AM prior to the services.

Please share a memory on Roger's Tribute Wall at www.AndersonMortuary.com.

Please click n the link below to watch Roger's service via live stream:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81281830942?pwd=cmtJWHBFN0FudjBBWWxKQ0ZTVVVzQT09