Joan Ware Davis

Joan Madeline Ware Davis, a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at the age of 94.

Joan was the only child of Nick and Grace Ware, and she spent her childhood in Tignall, Georgia. Joan grew up with four generations in her household; family was all around her from the very beginning of her life. After high school, Joan attended the High Museum School of Art in Atlanta. It was in Atlanta that she met her future husband Robert Charles "Bob" Davis III. Joan and Bob married in 1953, beginning a marriage that would last for 57 years, until Bob's death in 2010. Their marriage was blessed with five children; Julia, Virginia, Robert, Beverly, and Pamela. Bob's career took the Davis family to many different places, and in each place, Joan created a loving home for her children. They lived in Virginia, Illinois, and Connecticut, before returning to Georgia in 1970. The family settled in Tucker, and Joan continued to build a fulfilling life for her family. There was not a lot of idle time for her children; she kept them (and herself) busy with countless activities.

Her hands-on approach to her family didn't stop when her children grew up. Joan and Bob's home in Tucker remained the heart of the Davis family, a cherished gathering place as their children grew and generations came together. The family would gather around Joan's table for holidays, birthdays, or even just a Sunday lunch. As grandchildren arrived, she embraced her role as a grandmother with the same love and dedication she had given her own children, playing an active and meaningful role in raising the next generation.

Joan was adored by her family, but she was more than just a mother, wife, and grandmother. Joan was an incredibly talented artist. She painted with watercolors and oils, and her art has become a part of her legacy. Several of Joan's paintings hang at St. Bede's Episcopal Church, where she worshiped for 45 years. She was a talented seamstress. She made her own wedding dress, suits for Bob, clothes for her children, curtains, pillows, and slipcovers. Joan was also endlessly curious; she believed learning had no expiration date. She was an avid reader, and took classes throughout her adult life, particularly enjoying programs through Mercer University in Atlanta. She and Bob also loved to travel and learn more about the world.

Joan spent a lifetime making things; homes full of warmth and love, beautiful paintings, textiles, friendships, meals, and memories. But the most enduring thing she made was a family. Joan is preceded in death by her parents, Julian "Nick" Ware and Grace Ledbetter Ware; her husband of 57 years, Robert Charles "Bob" Davis III; and her beloved granddaughter Heather Katherine "Katie" Miller. Joan is survived by her five children, Julie (Frank) Young, Gin Miller, Bob (Michele) Davis, Bev (Robert) Farris, and Pam (Scott) Steuart; her eleven grandchildren, Michael (Jessica) Young, Ian (Sayaka) Miller, Christine (Thomas) Bolton, Danielle (George) Davis, Lee (Lindsay) Farris, Justin (Victoria) Farris, Rebecca (Scott) Emerson, Laura (Thomas) Rowan, Cameron (Shelby) Steuart, Nick Steuart, and Riley Steuart; and her many great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 10:00 am at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lilburn, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church in Lilburn, Georgia, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, or Gray Methodist Church in Gray, Georgia.