Joyce Ann Davis

Joyce Ann Davis of Cary, North Carolina, passed away peacefully in her home at Chatham Ridge Assisted Living in Chapel Hill, NC, on May 25, 2026, after a final battle with lung cancer. She was born in Wake County, North Carolina, on November 12, 1946. The youngest of two children, Joyce grew up in Carpenter, NC, and graduated from Apex High School in 1965. Upon graduation, Joyce found success pursuing many of her interests. But she finally found her passion in caring for others when she pursued healthcare. Joyce worked in Wake County as an Emergency Medical Technician. She returned to school to earn her degree in nursing from Wake Technical Community College. She worked as a Registered Nurse at area dialysis centers and retired from the NC Department of Corrections, Central Prison, where she served as a nurse to a population in great need of her kindness and professional care. Joyce had a lifelong love of music, played the piano, organ, and guitar, and was a notable composer. In high school, she was very proud of composing a gospel song that was published and sung by “The Chuck Wagon Gang!” Over the years, Joyce taught and mentored numerous piano students. She sang in the choir at Good Hope Baptist Church in Cary, was the church pianist for many years (as well as church secretary), and shared in piano and organ duties with her lifelong ‘sister,’ Gayle Mills. She enjoyed filling in as a pianist at Mt. Pisgah Church where her Aunt Ara attended, and she herself was a good friend of the Mt. Pisgah Church community. Joyce was frequently asked to play at funerals and weddings throughout her life—as she would tell it, “I played for so many, I can’t even keep count!” She fondly recalled that her daddy nicknamed her “Skeeter” after the talented 1950s-1960s singer-songwriter and country/pop artist, Skeeter Davis. Joyce loved to travel, especially to England, and proudly considered herself an Anglophile. British flags and teacups were among her treasured possessions, and she enjoyed watching the British comedy-drama Doc Martin. She never missed a royal event, relished discussing the royal family, and admired the pageantry surrounding those occasions. Closer to home, she enjoyed Celtic music, fish and chips, and visits to Trali Irish Pub. Joyce was at one time, a rider and lover of horses, demonstrating her lifelong skill even into her 70s. Joyce loved the Christmas season and so enjoyed her Myrtle Beach treks with the O.W.L.S., an older adult group from Good Hope Baptist Church. Joyce loved her precious fur babies, especially her prized Selkirk Rex. She entertained them with more toys than one could imagine and spoiled them with all the love in her heart. Joyce enjoyed getting manicures and pedicures, considering it one of life’s necessary pleasures! And she was an avid foodie, loved experimenting with new recipes, taking and posting pictures of her creations, canning and pickling, and was one heck of a baker. It’s said that her banana pudding was legendary! Joyce looked forward to taking day trips with her Aunt Ara to the mountains and beach. The two were inseparable for many years, until Ara’s passing in 2015. Joyce thought of their relationship as one of sisters, best friends, and even maternal as Ara was the loving mother figure she’d never had but always deserved. Joyce was preceded in death by her father, Charles Leon Davis; her longtime friend, Miss Irene Hurst; her beloved aunt, Ara Rebecca Davis; and her ‘sister,’ Gayle Mills. She is survived by her loving sister-in-law, Johanna Laibida; her beloved Selkirk Rex; her loving family caregivers, Ralph and Karin Mills; many cousins and dear friends; nursing besties; and beloved former piano students. A graveside funeral service will be held at 11:00am at Mt. Pisgah Church Cemetery, 1288 Mt. Pisgah Church Rd., Apex, NC 27523 on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Gracious thanks to the caring staff at Chatham Ridge Assisted Living, who cared for Joyce like family for the past two and a half years. Thanks also to Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh, NC, for the kind, compassionate, and loving care they provided during her hospice care. In lieu of flowers, Joyce requested that memorial gifts and donations be made to Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh, NC, where she spent many a day playing piano for staff and residents (Transitions LifeCare - Care For Your Entire Journey). The family is being assisted by Wake Funeral & Cremation Service.

Joyce Ann Davis

November 12, 1946 - May 25, 2026