Joanne was born on August 12, 1928 in York, Pennsylvania. She was the older of two children. Her brother Ken was born five years later. Her grandparents been contacted by the Bible students and witnessed to her father and mother and they began to study. Joanne remembers her father coming home from the 1931 Assembly excitedly telling them, “We are now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses!”
Joanne was baptized in 1941 in St. Louis. In December of 1945, she met Jack Davies who was in the full time ministry in their town and they were married on June 29, 1947.
They began married life in the preaching work full time together. Their first assignments were in different Pennsylvania towns. In 1953 they were assigned to the traveling ministry or circuit work in North Carolina. In 1954 an invitation arrived to attend the Watchtower School of Gilead for missionaries. Upon graduation they were again assigned to circuit work but this time in the Central Valley of California. They soon found out Joanne was pregnant and with a “circuit breaker” on the way they left the traveling work. After their daughters Becky and Priscilla were born, they moved to Huntington Beach and lived there until their move to Kansas in 1993.
After living in Southern California, Joanne had a hard time adjusting to Kansas weather but came to enjoy the slower pace of life, feeding the birds and of course, creating new friendships. She and Jack were part of the “Gray Panthers” or “Geritol Group” afternoon book study and they enjoyed the friends and the association at meals after the meeting.
Since Jack had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, it progressed to the point of needing more care, so in 2007 they moved into an apartment Ezra & Becky had built on to their home with handicap accessible features. Jack passed in January of 2008 knowing Joanne would be well cared for.
As the years went by Joanne found a variety of ways to keep herself busy besides the ministry. Who can forget her blueberry muffins, homemade bread, and morning glory muffins? She loved her wood burning stove in the winter and in the summer would look forward to Gaddert corn and Colorado peaches. Visiting her family in California and having them visit her in Kansas was always a highlight.
During Covid she found herself desperate to DO something so she began making teddy bears en masse. She had always made small quilts and bears for special occasions but now began a real production. The family estimates she made and shipped out over 300 bears over the years, receiving many photos and thank you’s from happy children and their mothers.
After Covid and her second round of cancer was treated, her strength and balance began to be affected so she became a regular on Zoom for the letter writing ministry, writing hundreds of letters, and receiving several replies!
In January 2025 she began having issues breathing and after tests 24/7 oxygen was ordered along with the news of pulmonary fibrosis and congestive heart failure. In February hospice began and with their excellent care, she stayed fairly happy and comfortable until her passing, July 21, 2025. She had a "long and satisfying life" (Job 42:17) but we look forward to seeing her again soon, strong and healthy in the coming resurrection! Acts 24:15 and Revelations 21:3-4.
The family would like to express the deepest gratitude to several: Dorothy Rosas, Karen Muñoz and Jaclyn Smith for their loving assistance and Doctors Mark Yackley and Fadi Estaphan for their thorough and compassionate care over the years. We particularly would like to highlight the untiring work of hospice nurses, Donna and Lindsey, social worker Marla but especially and most loved, Kim. They became like family over the months and deserve every bit of commendation they get for their caregiving and education. We’d also like to convey our gratitude for the love and support of our worldwide brotherhood. Prayers from South Africa to Peru to India have been appreciated as well as the extraordinary support and love of the local friends. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Click Here to Watch Joanne's Service
Memorial Service will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday, August 16, 2025, at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, 1219 N. Main St, Hutchinson, KS 67501.