Earlene (Wright) Davis

Earlene Davis, age 83, passed away at St. Vincent Hospital on Oct. 10, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Earlene was a truly good and forgiving person with a wonderful sense of humor. She lived a life of enthusiasm for her family, golf and an ever-increasing number of new interests as she aged. Raising her daughters and being a loving wife provided a strong sense of joy and pride, which the family will forever feel blessed to have been supported by her unconditional love and guidance. In addition to her commitment to family, she always found ways to engage and support activities and organizations that were near and dear to her heart.

Earlene was born on April 18, 1941, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Boyd P. and Phillipa Rushton Wright. Earlene was the oldest child with two younger brothers (Boyd Wright and Steven Wright) and surviving sister (Barbara Parker). Childhood summers were often spent on a ranch near Lima, Montana, and winters in Dubois, Idaho. The family moved to Idaho Falls when Earlene started high school. She graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1959.

Upon graduating from high school, she attended and graduated from Brigham Young University in June of 1963. Following graduation, she married her high school sweetheart Ed Davis in July of 1963. After a honeymoon spent in Canada, the couple moved to southern California, where Ed began his accounting career. During this time in California, they welcomed Elizabeth, their first daughter. In 1965, Earlene and Ed made the move back to Idaho Falls when Ed had accepted a new job with a local CPA firm. In 1968, their family was completed when Becky, their second daughter, was born. They remained in Idaho Falls for 16 years before moving to Billings in 1981. For the last 14 years, they lived the life of snowbirds, calling Billings home in the summer and Maui, Hawaii, home in the winter.

Earlene started playing golf in 1967 and continued to play for more than 45 years until her health required her give up the game she loved. Her golf game improved quickly and her competitive spirit led her to begin playing golf in amateur women’s golf tournaments. She won some and lost some, but the most important things were participating and the friends that she made along the way. Earlene was the women’s golf club champion for each of the four golf clubs that the family belonged to: Pine Crest Golf Course (located in Idaho Falls), Idaho Falls Country Club, Lake Hills Golf Course and The Yellowstone Country Club (both located in Billings). She was especially honored to have been inducted into the Montana State Golf Association Women’s Hall of Fame and to have participated in six United States Golf Association Women’s Senior Amateur Golf Tournaments (for women aged 50 years and over). In addition to playing golf, she was also on the board and served as president of women’s golf associations at the local club levels and at the state levels.

During the winters, later in life, when Earlene was not playing golf, she became a certified high school girls’ volleyball referee and continued to referee for 30 years in Montana, including divisional and state championship events.

As playing golf became more difficult due to health reasons, Earlene discovered the new hobby of quilting and enjoyed quilting Hawaiian-themed comforters, wall hangings and other quilted items. She was a member of the board of directors of the Maui Quilt Guild, served as president for two years and was additionally active in the Yellowstone Valley Quilters Guild.

Earlene was a loving grandma to her only grandchild, Cole Pipal. She loved sharing stories about his scholastic achievements and rooting for him during his high school football, basketball and track seasons.

Earlene is survived by her devoted husband of 61 years, Ed Davis; her daughters, Elizabeth Davis, Becky Pipal (Charlie); grandson Cole Pipal; sister Barbra Parker (John); niece Mary Parker (Dan); nephews Boyd Parker and Trevor Wright (Luika).

A celebration of life will be from 2  to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, for family and friends, at the Yellowstone Country Club. A small family memorial will be held at a later date at Keawala’i Congregational Church in Maui, Hawaii. During this ceremony, the family will fulfill her wish to have her ashes scattered from an outrigger canoe in her beloved church’s bay.