Helen Joyce Stephens Davis, 85, of Cleveland, TN, passed away Tuesday, July 22, 2014 in a Chattanooga hospital.
She was a member of North Cleveland Baptist Church for 47 years where she loved her Sunday school class “The Sunshine Class.” Mrs. Davis loved and lived for her family and loved to take care of others. She loved everyone and when you became her friend, you had a friend for life. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
Mrs. Davis was the daughter of the late Clyde Franklin Stephens and Marchie Talent Stephens; and was also preceded in death by her father-in-law, Mart Davis; mother-in-law, Essie Gurley Davis; and siblings, Willie Lee Moats, Clyde Franklin Stephens, Elizabeth Carr and Margaret Stone Roof.
She is survived by her husband of 66 years, James Paul Davis of Cleveland; children, Debbie Davis Reese and husband, Tom of Cleveland and Eddie Davis and wife, Lisa of Cleveland; grandchildren, Paige Reese Freshour and husband, Chris of Knoxville, Kyle Reese and wife, Lynda of Vancouver, BC, Tara Reese Thomas and husband, Adam of Knoxville, Tyler Davis and wife, Rachel of Cleveland and Anna Davis of Knoxville; six great-grandchildren, Drew, Reese and Ivy Freshour of Knoxville, Evangeline and Thomas Reese of Vancouver B.C.and Landon Thomas of Knoxville; siblings, Dorothy Brown, Alberta Williams, Charlotte Hall, Don Stephens, J.C. Stephens and Jerry Stephens; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24, in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Dr. Jay McCluskey officiating.
Interment will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 25, at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Rodney Burris, Tyler Davis, Chris Freshour, Kyle Reese, Austin Williams, Dennis Stephens, Adam Thomas and Scott Stephens serving as pallbearers. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, July 24 at the Ralph Buckner Funeral Home, who has charge of the arrangements.
The family suggests memorials be made to the Building Fund at North Cleveland Baptist Church, 2815 North Ocoee Street, Cleveland, TN 37312.