Retha Griffin Davids

Retha Griffin Davids, 91, passed away on April 12, 2025.  

Retha was the oldest of two children born to Harry & Fawn Griffin.  She was born on July 7, 1933 and raised in Byron, Wyoming.  They lived out of town on the Ranch with no electricity or running water.  She had one brother, Gary, who she spent lots of time with as children playing and riding horses.  She attended and graduated from Byron High School where she had fun cheerleading with her girlfriends and participating in many other school activities.  She also won an art contest while in high school which helped her to pursue her art.  As fate would have it, she went to Ricks College on a seminary scholarship and this is where she met and fell in love with Paul Davids.  They were married and sealed on May 12, 1953 in the Idaho Falls Temple. They eventually had 5 children, Fawn, Tamme, Paulee, T.Paul, and Chet.

After getting married they spent two years in the Army.  This was during the Korean War.  She said she was fortunate to be with her husband most of the time.  After the service they moved back to Rexburg, Idaho where Paul graduated from college in secondary education and started teaching and coaching at Madison High School.  During the summer they operated the Rexburg Golf Course.  From Rexburg they moved to Shelley, Idaho where he taught school and coached for a few years. They had two daughters during these years, Fawn and Tamme.  Then they moved to Pocatello where Paul got his Master’s Degree at ISU. 

Their next move was to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.  They operated the Tumbling Waters Motel and one year later bought the Knotty Pine Café and ran it for years. They moved across the street into the home underneath the café where they lived throughout their lives, except for two years in Jerome, Idaho.  Paul began teaching and coaching in Bancroft, Idaho.  They had three more children while living in Lava, Paulee, T.Paul, and Chet.  Paul eventually taught in the Pocatello-Chubbuck School District #25 until he retired, but they chose to stay in Lava. They eventually remodeled the cafe into part of their existing home.  They also ran the Thunder Canyon Golf Course for a few years.  She had several other jobs over the years as such working in a sewing shop, the Lava Condominiums, the Pocatello Dental Group, and the Sunken Gardens by the Hot Baths in Lava. 

Retha quietly did so many sweet, kind, thoughtful things for people and unselfishly spent time helping others while enjoying it.  Many have described Retha as loving, caring, generous, beautiful, hardworking, amazing, and creative.  So many have told us how she made them feel important and loved.  She had talents and interests in so many areas.  She always enjoyed painting, sewing, crafts, handiwork, gardening, and reading just to name a few.  She enjoyed refinishing some antique furniture that had belonged to Paul’s grandmother and grandfather.  She could fix anything with her set of tools and a little ingenuity.  “Jack of all trades, Jill of all trades, Master of all!” that was her! She love, love, loved working out in her yard and created such a peaceful, quiet, beautiful respite from the world.  This gardening creativity was enjoyed by everyone.  She had a good eye for it.  That is one of the things she missed most as she aged was the ability to go outside and work in her beloved yard. 

As to the church, she enjoyed the gospel and served in the Primary, Scouting program, the Stake Relief Society, and Ward Relief Society.  She served as Homemaking Counselor, Education Counselor, and Relief Society President.  She said she enjoyed them all.  She especially loved working with the Achievement Day girls and was always thinking of and creating things for them to work on and learn.

Sadly, Paul passed away in August of 2009 and she has missed him greatly ever since.  She has kept herself busy with yardwork, doing crafts, time at the farm in Chesterfield, and just enjoying her family.

Retha is survived by three daughters: Fawn Murdock of Pocatello, Tamme (Joe) Mullett of Pocatello, Paulee (Craig) Larson of Burley, and two sons: T.Paul (Tanny) Davids of Lava Hot Spring, and Chet (Callie) Davids of Lava Hot Springs. She has 13 grandsons, 8 granddaughters, and 27 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Fawn Griffin; a brother, Gary Griffin; and a granddaughter, Sari Davids.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 18, 2025 at the Lava church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.  Viewing will be held prior to services from 9:00-10:30 a.m.

Graveside services will follow at the Chesterfield Cemetery.