Joan H. Davis passed away unexpectedly, but without pain, at her home in Glen Mills, PA on June 28, 2023. She had lived there independently since 2007. Born on January 9, 1937, in Upper Deerfield, NJ, Joan lived a life characterized by boundless love, resilience, and unwavering devotion to her family. She was a cherished mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and was known for spreading joy to all who knew her.
Joan was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Edward Davis, Sr., as well as her parents, Viola Casper and George Halter of Mannington, NJ, and her sisters, Viola Sheffield of Quinton, NJ, and Georgianna Carll of Harmersville, NJ.
Joan is survived by her five children and their spouses: John Edward Davis, Jr. (Kristin) of Wilmington, DE; Jill Deanna Wolfe (Nat) of Townsend, DE; Jay Robert Davis (Tammy) of Woodbine, NJ; Bruce Jeffrey Davis (Beth) of Rincon, GA; and Valerie Joy Shipman (John) of Newark, DE. Her legacy continues through her adored grandchildren: Nathaniel Wolfe, Jonathan Wolfe, Elizabeth Davis, Jacqueline Davis, Jacob Davis, Katherine Davis, Bruce Davis, Jr., and Violette Shipman. She also leaves behind great-grandchildren Andrew Wolfe and Matthew Wolfe.
Joan graduated from Salem High School in 1955 where she excelled academically and served as Class Treasurer. She participated in various school clubs, including Student Council, Future Homemakers of America, Commercial Club, Head Bankers Banking Club, and Yearbook. Joan’s good grades and involvement in extracurricular activities laid the foundation for her lifelong passion for learning and social engagement.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Joan served as a 4-H leader in her community for many years. Her dedication and leadership earned her the honor of representing the New Jersey delegation at the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago in 1954. Joan’s talents were evident in her machine and hand-sewn fashions, which she showcased in an Atlantic City dress revue in 1953. Additionally, she was recognized for her inner and outer beauty as a member of the Salem County Queen’s Court in 1954 and 1955. She was creative, artistic, and loved to draw. She enjoyed weekly trips to the cinema as a child and experienced the magic of Broadway musicals as a young woman.
Joan’s working life utilized her exceptional typing, shorthand, and interpersonal skills. Her various administrative and clerical positions included working for both the Employment Office and Courthouse of Salem County. As a young woman, she loved her sales position working at the fashionable ladies’ boutique store, Prince’s. Though, her favorite job ever was providing valuable support to a respected family practitioner, Dr. John S. Madara, who was also a dear family friend. Once her children were older, she enjoyed selling Avon products to friends, family, and neighbors.
Married at the age of 24, Joan spent nearly 16 years in a loving marriage to her one true love before being widowed at the young age of 39, with children aged 14, 13, 9, 8, and 3. Despite facing limited resources and health challenges, she managed to lovingly raise her children to be competent, successful, happy adults.
In her later years, Joan pursued new interests and connections within her community. She was a proud member of the Red Hat Society, finding camaraderie and friendship in fellow members. She embraced her love for music by joining the Circle Singers group at the Newark Senior Center where she was also a member. A strong advocate for literacy, she volunteered as a reader to school-age children, fostering a love for reading and learning.
As an older adult, she attended classes at the University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). Over the span of more than two decades, she was committed to optimizing her health through personal fitness training sessions. Joan was an avid, knowledgeable sports fan, faithfully following college and professional teams/players in baseball, football, and basketball. While she cheered her favorite teams, the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles, she was an extremely proud owner of (one share of) the Green Bay Packers, fulfilling her wish of owning a professional football team.
Joan’s hobbies reflected her artistic spirit and nurturing nature. She found solace in reading, expressed her creativity through quilting, and delighted in crafting handmade greeting cards. She was dedicated to creating and sending hundreds of cards each year to friends and loved ones to mark every holiday or special occasion or for no reason at all. She also donated handmade cards to Scrapbook.com for distribution to various charities. In the last six months of her life, she had completed over 500 cards for this purpose.
Joan carried immense respect and love for her parents throughout her entire life and made loving and caring for her own children and grandchildren her primary focus during her lifetime. She was and continues to be an inspiration to all who knew her for her indomitable spirit, selflessness, radiant optimism, gentle humor, and incredible capacity to love without limit or condition. She made every person feel worthy, special…loved. May we remember and honor her by living our own lives with a loving and compassionate heart as she did.
A funeral service will be held in her honor at 11 am on Sunday, September 17, at Lawnside Cemetery, 896 NJ-45, Woodstown, NJ
A celebration of Joan’s life will be held immediately following at Emanuel Lutheran Church, 366 Cohansey Friesburg Road, Elmer, NJ.
The family wishes memorial contributions be made to MFPA - Mouth & Foot Painting Artists, https://mfpausa.com/
