St George, UT – Diane Davis Bohling, age 79, passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at Legacy Village in St. George, Utah.  Diane was born on October 19, 1944, in Boise, Idaho, to Stuart Lloyd Davis and Lucille Welker Davis. Diane and her older brother, Steven, were raised in Boise until 1954 when the family moved to Modesto, California, where Diane graduated from Downey High School in 1963. She went on to complete a BS in Elementary Education from BYU and later a Master of Social Work from the University of Utah. She taught at a private school in Virginia as well as the Granite School District in Salt Lake City and practiced as an LCSW in Salt Lake City.

She met and married William Bohling in 1967. They remained together for the rest of her life. They had five children: Brinton, Matthew, Peter, Nathan, and Jacob.  Each child followed his own distinct path, with the tragic loss of Peter in 1995.

As Bill pursued his career, the family moved to Washington, D.C.; back to Salt Lake; next to Lubbock, Texas; then to Ann Arbor, Michigan; back to Lubbock; returned again to Salt Lake; and finally, to Ivins, Utah. For each move, Diane dutifully packed up the family and began a new chapter. Her life was one of devotion to her family and later to causes important to her such as nuclear disarmament, homeless children's education, and Families Anonymous, to name a few.

Diane radiated a warmth that could be felt when she entered a room. Her intuition was sometimes otherworldly, and her compassion for anyone in pain or anguish was automatic and enveloping. People in her orbit adored her; people who attempted to exercise authority over her, not so much. Because of her beauty and charm, she was Bill's arm candy on social occasions but generally shied away from the spotlight. She unfailingly looked and sounded wise but suffered from a lifelong lack of self-esteem.

As a mom, she was 24/7, often pushing herself to exhaustion. She supported her children in every way--through games, camping trips, performances, whatever they did. She was given to aphorisms like "Don't sweat the small stuff" (though she did) or "A clean house is a sure sign of a misspent life" (though she kept a meticulous house). She was often uncertain and indecisive, but once committed to a cause, was relentless and fierce. Her core values were lifelong--the underprivileged, the environment, and child and elder protection and care. She was scrupulously honest with an inborn sense of decency. Diane was disciplined in her fitness routine and vegetarian diet. She took great care of herself and her family. What a cruel irony that she was the one visited with Alzheimer's disease

Her final years coping with the cognitive decline brought on by Alzheimer's was a struggle for her and the people who love her. Once she moved to Legacy Village, she had a remarkable year. Diane bonded with Legacy's mostly female nursing staff–extraordinary women who looked after her every need with compassion and skill. To Diane, they were the daughters she never had. Her mornings were times to seek them out and sing and dance with them, her days were spent doing laps around the unit, and during meals she "helped out." As reported, she was sometimes "too much" but was so loving and well-meaning that she became a "bright light" and the unit's "mascot."

A wild woman--to her husband, her children, and her many friends—she will remain in our hearts forever. She is survived by her husband, her children, her son's partners, Sara and Josie, and her three grandchildren, Zoey, Ruby, and Cameron.

We acknowledge the extraordinary care and companionship she received from Legacy's Memory Care and Utah Home Hospice. They gave us a joyful year with our beloved, and a peaceful passing.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the Metcalf Mortuary Chapel, located at 288 West St. George Blvd, St George UT 84770

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Memory Matters Utah at 168 North 100 East, #104, St. George, UT 84770.

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