About Erika Rowberry Garner
Erika Rowberry Garner, 52, of Mesa, Arizona, passed away suddenly while attending a family reunion in St. George, Utah, on the evening of June 4, 2026. She was surrounded by family at the time of her passing.
Erika was born on February 2, 1974, in San Jose, California, the first child of Jon Henry Rowberry and Larraine Allen Rowberry. She grew up in Saratoga, California. From an early age, she displayed a bright mind, a fun and happy personality, and a strong desire to excel. She skipped first grade and went on to distinguish herself academically, athletically, and musically. She graduated from Prospect High School, where she was selected to represent her class as a commencement speaker.
Erika attended Brigham Young University, where she studied abroad in Spain and at the Jerusalem Center, forming friendships that lasted a lifetime. She interrupted her studies to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Venezuela—an experience she treasured throughout her life. After returning to BYU, she completed her degree in English with a minor in Spanish and taught Spanish to newly called missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center.
She continued her education at BYU Law School. While there, she served as president of the Women’s Law Forum and as a member of the Law Review. She was a summer associate in New York City, was selected by her classmates to speak at her law school graduation and accepted a position with Stoel Rives in Salt Lake City, specializing in wills and estate planning.
In 2001, she married John Garner in the Salt Lake Temple. The couple moved to Arizona, where she passed another state bar exam and worked for Fennemore Craig in their estate planning practice.
Erika’s greatest desire was to be a mother. That dream was realized in 2004 with the birth of their first child. She and John built a home centered on faith, service, adventure, learning, and laughter. A devoted mother, she supported her children emotionally, academically, socially, and spiritually.
Erika’s life was anchored in her faith in Jesus Christ. She loved the scriptures and frequently bore testimony of the Savior to her family, friends, and often to strangers. She had a remarkable spiritual gift for noticing and ministering to those who felt unseen. At the time of her passing, she was serving as a Gospel Doctrine teacher in her ward and as a temple worker in the Mesa Arizona Temple. She loved the temple; her daughter Natalie recently remarked that “if her mother could, she would live in the temple.”
Erika also loved adventure and travel. She and her family lived in Singapore for five years, where she organized memorable trips for family and friends throughout Asia. She was quick to set aside her “To Do” list for a fun opportunity. Resourceful and fearless, she had a contagious laugh and an extraordinary ability to find a way forward when others didn’t know where to begin. She refused to accept “no” for an answer and could secure sold-out tickets or accomplish things that seemed impossible.
Just an hour before her passing, Erika shared a devotional message with her extended family and bore a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel.
She graduated from high school, college, and law school with honors. More importantly, she lived a life of faith, service, devotion, and love. Those who knew her have no doubt that she completed her mortal journey with honors. Perhaps her greatest gift was making people feel loved and seen—both by her and by a loving God.
Erika was preceded in death by her brother, James Armstrong Rowberry (Sarah). She is survived by her husband, John; their children Andrew, Natalie, James, Amelia, and Audrey; her parents, Jon and Larraine Rowberry; and her siblings, JB Rowberry (Chelsee), Jeff Rowberry (Hilary), and Angela Hatch (Dave).
A viewing will be held on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the Bunker Family Funeral Chapel, 3529 E. University Drive, Mesa.
A second viewing will be held on Thursday, June 18, from 9:30–10:15 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6942 E. Brown Rd., Mesa.
Funeral services will follow at 10:30 a.m. at the same location. Burial will follow at the Mesa Cemetery.
The funeral services will be available via Zoom at:
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the BYU Jerusalem Center:
https://byujerusalemalumni.com/give/
(This link directs donors to the BYU Jerusalem Center Alumni Student Support Endowment. Contributions will help sustain the endowment and reduce the cost for students to attend a semester abroad in Jerusalem.)
In loving memory of Erika Garner, we’ve created a Kudoboard where family and friends can share photos, videos, and cherished memories. Please take a moment to add your tribute here:
https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/C0zdg2LZ
Your stories and pictures will mean so much. Thank you for helping us celebrate her beautiful life.
Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.