Martha Jorene Burch Davis

Martha Jorene Burch Davis, of Elmore, mostly known as "Jo", but aka "Miss Jo, Nanny, Nan, Nana Jo, and more recently, Jo-Jo, by some of her favored nursing home staff, passed away at the age of 94, on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Wetumpka Health & Rehab, with her son, Chuck, at her bedside. She was born in Geneva County and raised in Hartford, Alabama. She graduated from Hartford High School in 1949 and soon moved to Montgomery, where she worked for the Alabama Department of Conservation and the State Division of Forestry. She later worked at the Veterans' Administration Hospital in the Office of Price Stabilization, where she met the love of her life, Charles Davis. They were married on June 29, 1951.

She later worked as the Assistant Administrator for Merry Wood Lodge from 1966-1973. In mid-1973, she returned to Civil Service at Gunter AFB and soon transferred to Maxwell AFB. In September 1978, she became the Administrative Assistant for the USAFR/ANG/Navy/Marine/Coast Guard Advisors Office. She served in this position for 17 years. Upon her retirement in 1995, she received the Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award, Superior Annual Sustained Performance Award, Award for Air Force Reserve Service to the Nation, and Air Force Reserve Award and in 1983, was the Federal Employee of the Year runner up.

She is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Jo Davis Shanks Thomas, and her son, Charles Ray "Chuck" Davis, Jr (Lisa). She leaves behind two grandsons, Albert Augustus"Trey" Shanks III (Sabrina), Adam Shanks(Elizabeth), and four great-grandchildren: Raegan Lynn Shanks, Katherine Maureen Skinner, Samuel Adam Shanks, and Madison Elsie Shanks.

She was preceded in death by her parents, V.C. Burch and Irene Elizabeth Chance Burch, her husband, Charles Davis, her son, Steven Burch Davis and her siblings, Vernon Chance Burch, Mary Elizabeth Burch Kueven, Zada Gail Burch Woodby and Willa Jean Burch Lee.

Funeral services will be held at Millbrook First Methodist Church on Saturday, March 14th at 10:30 am. Mrs. Davis will lie in state at the church from 10:00am until 10:30am. A visitation reception will immediately follow the service. Burial will be at 3:30 pm at Pondtown Cemetery, by Pondtown Church, 663 Pondtown Rd., Hartford, AL.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Organization, the American Heart Association, or the American Cancer Society.