Heaven has gained an angel, Joan Marie (Davis) Reese, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and member of the Second Baptist Church, Blairsville Pennsylvania, under the shepherd, Pastor Ronnie C. Morris, Sr. Her journey began on September 8, 1941, and she finished her race, received her crown and went home to be with her Jesus on December 16, 2022. Joan, known as Sally to many, lived in Josephine, Pennsylvania with her grandmother and grandfather, Marie and James Davis until she graduated from Blairsville Senior High School. After graduation she ventured to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she would work at the radio station, WAMO under the DJ and radio host “Porky Chedwick”. Unknowing to her, the postal worker dropping off the mail at the station would someday be the man she would spend her life with and raise a family. On September 5, 1964, Joan married her true love, Monroe Reese and would celebrate that love for 58 years. Joan raised four daughters Diane, Leslie, Beverly, and Jacquelyn in the house she made a home. The little girl that was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up and would always answer “a mommy” fulfilled her heart’s desire of being a mother but she was so much more to us and everyone she met. Joan was beautiful, she could stop traffic and did, but only one man stole her heart and that was Monroe. She was a wife and mother, a doctor, lawyer, nurse, chef, judge and jury, teacher, and fireman. She had to be a fireman because Monroe had moments when a fire would get a little out of control and she would have to intervene. She was truly the virtuous women, who rose early in the morning to begin the day to care for her family. She loved with all her heart and soul. Her laugh was contagious, her touch was gentle, kind, and loving, her words were wise, and compassionate. She leads by example of what a loving, devoted, exceptional, God- fearing woman, wife and mother looks like in the good and the bad times. She showed her daughters what commitment is and how to love unconditionally. She empowered them to live their dreams, to know who they are, and how to stand tall in adversity. She taught them to be leaders, to be unselfish, and to serve others. She raised four girls, an extension of herself, her legacy lives on through them, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren.
Mom, we know that God knew what was best for you and He promised to be with us always. It doesn’t make your absence from our lives any easier but we say, “See you later” because it’s not good-bye. When our race is over, we will see you again. We thank God for choosing you to be our mother. All that we would need to enjoy life He poured into you. Dad knew that he had a treasure and he couldn’t let go, but we say thank you God for Your grace and mercy and unconditional love and for our beautiful, loving, amazing mother. Mom, thank you for loving us. We will cherish every moment that we shared, the laughter, and the tears. Our memories of you will go on, the place in our hearts that you hold will be forever. We will always love you. Until we meet again…..
Joan is preceded in death by Alphonso Davis Sr.-Father, Margaret (Nymick) Davis-Mother, Ozzie Hollinshed-Stepmother, Eugene Davis-Brother, and Marie Sherman-Cousin.
Joan is survived by her husband, and her daughters: Diane Tessendorf & husband, Oliver, NJ, Leslie Reese, Pittsburgh, PA, Beverly Stiffler, Blairsville, PA, and Jacquelyn Luker & husband, Jerry, Blairsville, PA grandchildren Audrey, Fawnte’, Michael, II., Kayla, Jaymaur, and Trinity, and her great-grandchildren, Eric, Brently, Logan, Christian, Cairo, and Greyson. Her sister Joanne and brother-in-law John Williams, her brothers Alphonso Davis, Jr., James and sister-in-law Ramona, Davis, and brother Brenson Gray and a host of family and friends.
The family will receive friends at the Second Baptist Church, 241 E. Campbell St., Blairsville, PA 15717 on Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 2-4 & 6-8 PM.
Funeral Service will be held in the Second Baptist Church on Friday, December 23, 2022 at 11:00 AM. Rev. Ronnie Morris will officiate.
If so desired, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Shriners Hospital, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the James F. Ferguson Funeral Home, Inc., Blairsville, PA 15717.
www.jamesfergusonfuneralhome.com
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