Jo Ellen Davis

Jo Ellen Davis (Jones) passed away on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at age 91. She spent her last day surrounded by family that she dearly loved and that dearly loved her.

Jo Ellen was born in Grant, Oklahoma on January 15, 1932. She was the middle child of Jewell and Garlin Jones. In 1942, Jo Ellen’s family moved to Coolidge, Arizona where she was Valedictorian of both her High School and Junior High School classes; receiving a scholarship to attend Arizona State University (ASU). This was just the beginning of a lifelong focus on learning.

Jo Ellen met James Gibson Davis, Jr. (Jim) at a First Baptist Church social function and on March 15, 1951 Jo Ellen and James were married in Coolidge, AZ shortly before Jim shipped out to fight in the Korean War. They had three children, Barbara, Joanne, and Jamie (James).

In the 1960s, Jo Ellen went back to ASU and got her undergraduate degree and master’s degree in art education. After earning her art education degree, Jo Ellen worked as theCoolidge High School Art Teacher and then as the Coolidge Elementary Art Teacher and a 5th grade teacher. During this time Jim also got his undergraduate degree and master’s degree in industrial arts education.

They moved to Tempe after Jim got a job teaching at Marcos de Niza High School, while Jo Ellen worked at a Phoenix law firm. She returned to teaching when both of them got teaching jobs with the Nogales School District. In 1976, their teaching jobs brought them to Globe, AZ where Jo Ellen taught in the Globe School District and at Holy Angels Catholic School. She then returned to ASU for a second master’s in social welfare and worked for Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) in Globe as a Case Manager until retirement. She was instrumental in getting hospice care for Globe.

After retirement, Jo Ellen took on volunteer work with the Friends of the Globe Public Library, setting up senior services, delivering meals to the elderly, and being active in IOOF.

Jo Ellen is preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Raygene and Fred. She is survived by her husband Jim and three children, Barbara (Gino Zappia), Joanne (Jay Slotkin), and Jamie (Elaine Davis), eight grandchildren, and eleven great- grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for 11am Saturday, November 25, 2023 at Lamont Mortuary, 328 South Hill Street, Globe, AZ with a reception following.

The family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, a tax-deductible tribute donation be made in Jo Ellen’s name to either”:

(1) Friends of the Globe Public Library (https://www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheGlobePublicLibrary/);

(2) Gila County Historical Museum (https://www.gilahistoricalmuseum.org/); or

(3) Peppi’s House-TMC Hospice (https://www.tmcaz.com/medical- programs/hospice/donate-to-tmc-hospice).

Assisting the family; Lamont Mortuary of Globe located at 328 S. Hill St., Globe, AZ. (928) 425-5491