Joseph Charles Davis

Joe's second child, Ruth, wrote

My father was a man of great humility, strength of character and unconditional love. He neither wanted nor expected recognition for his caring actions to others and accepted the actions of others as the best they could give.

He ensured his four children had the modest necessities for life and always encouraged them to make their own friendships, pursue their interests and develop their careers.

He adored my mother as much as she adored him. While their love was publicly undemonstrative, in their private lives it was strong, tender and unwavering.

Joe had a deep Christian faith which imbued his whole life. Along with the demands of work and family, his faith was the major determinant in the investment of his time and energy.

BELOW:Certificates

Birth

Marriage

Death - Joe

Death - Doris

BELOW:

Some early photos. Hover over them with your mouse or finger for identities and a guess at the dates.

Bruce

Bruce was the first born of Joe and Doris Davis.

Bruce undertook his schooling at Haileybury College, Elwood High School and Melbourne High School before attaining a degree in Architecture from Melbourne University. His working life saw Bruce and his family living in Melbourne, Perth, Kuala Lumpur and Hobart in a range of roles and areas of professional interest.

On retirement, Bruce and Carolyn moved to the Huon Valley, Tasmania, where they enjoyed the pace and community to country life.

Throughout his life, Bruce gained much pleasure from music through his piano/organ playing and singing, sharing his enjoyment with those in his family and social circle.

His carpentry skills and eye for detail enabled him to build everything from home extensions to furniture to jewellery boxes with enameled copper lids. In retirement he took up pastel drawing at which he excelled, particularly in portraiture which became a special interest of his.

He has always been a responsible and caring elder brother to his three siblings. His calm demeanour and sensitive sense of humour has helped many situations move on to a more harmonious outcome.

He is dearly loved by family and friends, particularly the local church community where his playing in church service is sorely missed now that his Parkinson's Disease has necessitated his retirement from this role.

Bruce has taken every opportunity to cherish his relationship with his siblings and wider family members, but most of all with his three sons and their families.

Ruth

Ruth is the second child of Joe and Doris and their elder daughter.

She was born at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne and lived with the family in Brighton for her early life. All her primary and secondary schooling was undertaken at St. Leonards Presbyterian Girls College, Brighton.

After matriculating in 1960, she studied at the Kindergarten Training College, Kew, gaining a diploma in 1963. She then worked in a kindergarten and Allen's Music Store before travelling to Canada in 1967 to work in a preschool for hearing impaired children in Montreal.

Ruth's son, Steven, was born in Ottawa in late 1968 and, together, they returned to Melbourne in 1969 for Steven's early years. During the next 5 years Ruth assisted Joe in caring for Doris (who suffered early onset Alzeimher's Disease before she died in 1972) and working at Monnington with hearing/visually impaired children.

In 1975 Ruth and Steven moved to Canberra where Ruth took up work with children with physical disabilities, hearing impairment, visual impairment or behavioural/learning disabilities. Over the next 14 years she worked as a teacher, curriculum consultant and school principal before studying full-time to upgrade her qualifications to a degree.

While Steven remained in Canberra, Ruth moved to Adelaide in 1991 to work with adults with disabilities before moving down the coast to Carrickalinga. While lecturing tourism students at a TAFE College, Ruth immersed herself in community organisations before becoming a Councillor in local government in the Yankalilla district.

In 2014 Ruth moved to Young in New South Wales living closer to Steven in Canberra to enjoy retirement and the slower pace of a country town.

Throughout her adult life Ruth committed herself to raising her son, maintaining a home and garden, working for a living and taking every opportunity to travel within Australia and overseas. Reading and playing or listening to music were constant pastimes, along with passing phases of macrame, knitting, embroidery, crochet, dressmaking, needlework and print-making.

Suzanne (Sue)

Suzanne was Joe's third child. She had three daughters and five granddaughters.

Suzanne wrote of herself in 2019;

I am the third of Joe and Doris’s four children, the second daughter. My life has been characterised by failing and winning scholastically, ditto in life. Nonetheless, it has been a wonderfully joyous existence and I gained a B Economics and Politics and a B Education along the way.

In 1970 I married Peter Reddick and we spent a year living in Oxford then returned to Australia in 1971. Over the years we lived in Brighton, Hampton and Bentleigh, and in 1978 moved to Sydney. Following Peter’s and my divorce in 1983 the girls and I moved to Geelong West and in 1990 moved to Adelaide. Inger and Anna live in Adelaide, are married, and have daughters of their own. Nina lives in Melbourne, is engaged, and intends to marry towards the end of 2020. (Ed: the wedding took place in 2022 after COVID delays).

Over the years I have been employed as a Year 12 teacher, tutor at University of SA, and Business lecturer at TAFE. My employment curriculum areas are accounting, economics and business law. I loved my work with TAFE; students are motivated, they want to learn, either to commence a new career or to run their own business. I was their academic introduction to legal, financial, and marketing issues.

Much of my business experience came from holiday jobs (Mayne Nickless, Swan Insurance, Myer and many others), plus experience gained in the 1990s introducing clients such as wine growers, the Red Cross, petrol pump manufacturers, and builders of television towers to the world of computer accounting.

On two occasions I have been within a whisker of death. That I am still in the land of the living is amazing. I live every day to the full, with a huge nod of respect to Nina, Inger and Anna, whom I love unconditionally.

VALE SUZANNE

Suzanne died on the evening of Tuesday 23 June 2020. A photo montage by her sister, Ruth, is attached.

If you would like to watch either of the PowerPoint tributes played at Suzanne's funeral service, click here or here.

BELOW:

Nina and Anna
Suzanne being herself
Suzanne, Ruth and Bruce putting on the river
Suzanne on Ruth's shoulders
Suzanne singing at Andrew's 60th
Ruth and Suzanne on the bathing box beach
Anna, Inger and Nina
Suzanne as a young 'un

Andrew

Andrew was the youngest son of Joe and Doris Davis.

After failing secondary school he filled in time singing, acting and working - until the penny dropped that life deserved more serious attention. He returned to school in 1970 aged 21 and completed several degrees.

He didn’t just change jobs so much as changed careers. And places to live. He lived in four states and held jobs as a milkman, teacher, social planner, health exporter, been CEO of five health and community services organisations and a senior executive in three government departments and three other community organisations.

He married Sheridan in 1976 and divorced 30 years later. They had two girls who married and subsequently had a son and a daughter each.

Andrew married Noeline in 2008. Noeline also has two married daughters with children.

Andrew became a committed Christian at 57. He retired aged 69 and lived in Hobart, Tasmania. Noeline also drew strength from her Christian faith. In her final paid position Noeline was a Professional Practice and Training manager with Anglicare Tasmania.

Joseph Charles Davis - Joe