Joyce Eileen (Sullivan) Davidson

Joyce Eileen (Sullivan) Davidson, 46, of Peru passed away unexpectedly at 3:01 a.m., Sunday, May 10, 2020, of heart failure at Dukes Memorial Hospital.  Born on November 11, 1973 in Peru, she was the daughter of Max and Lydia (Todositschuk-Bondar) Sullivan. 

Joyce was a 1992 Peru High School graduate.  She was a licensed cosmetologist, esthetician, and nail technician.  She loved practicing and teaching the cosmetology arts at Summit Salon Academy in Kokomo.  She was passionate about beauty education and genuinely loved her many students.  She knew the value of her skills in a very personal way – people feel better about themselves when they look good.  She received great joy from giving the young their very first haircut, a service she offered friends and family for free.

Joyce was an entrepreneur who capitalized on some of her many other talents, including her seasonal business selling homemade holiday baked goods and treats named “Kitchen Tidbits”.

Joyce was the youngest child of a large family, having 5 sisters and 2 brothers, with dozens of nephews and nieces, and even more grand-nephews and nieces.  She loved her family and was always taking a prominent role in planning and preparing for family gatherings. Joyce would spend days baking and cooking to prepare amazing holiday feasts that took up multiple rooms when laid out on every table and sideboard.  She became the master chef of the family kitchen, leading an army of family members in the preparation of the food – especially on pierogi making day where the assembled family would gather to make hundreds and hundreds of pierogis with all manner of stuffings.

Joyce met her husband Don online.  Don was living in Utah at the time, and thereafter, moved to Florida.  After months of online courting, Joyce planned a trip to meet him.  Although they had never met face-to-face before, they had a civil marriage in Jacksonville, Florida on November 27, 1999 (just 4 days after meeting), and they later had a religious ceremony at the Chicago, Illinois Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint, September 21, 2002, so that their marriage would last for Time and All Eternity.  This past November, they celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary.  Those who thought they would not make it can find comfort in knowing Joyce always enjoyed getting the last laugh…. Joyce always relished being right.

Joyce desperately wanted a large family but was unable to have one for herself.  Joyce LOVED caring for children.  She was a pied piper of sorts.  Children everywhere flocked to her.  She was a wonderful and beloved aunt to the scores of nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, grand-nieces, and various other unrelated children.  She was active in the lives of her many nephews and nieces, caring for each, showing up to celebrate their victories and being a shoulder to cry on in their defeats.

She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -Day Saints (formerly known as the Mormons), and her faith played a central role in her life.  Her dedication to her family is central to her faith that families can be together forever. 

Survivors include her husband, Donald Davidson of Peru, IN, mother, Lydia Sullivan of Peru, IN, brother, Jeff (Linda) Grant of Mt. Vernon, IN, sister, Jeanette (Terry) Fruehling of Hartford, Wisconsin, sister, Ramona (Brian) Stotler  of Yorktown, Virginia, sister, Shari (George) Harris of San Angelo, Texas, sister, Annette (John) Thiel of Lafayette, IN, brother, Stephen J. Sullivan of Schererville, IN, and sister, Samantha Sullivan of Irvine, California.  She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, and her beloved dogs Bellatrix and Dobby.

She was preceded in death by her father and grandparents, and her grand-nephew Chandler Richardson.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Riverview Funeral Home, Peru, Indiana.  However, due to the current public gathering restrictions in place due to Covid-19, this gathering is limited to 25 which will not be anywhere large enough to accommodate her enormous family who is flooding in from all across the country to mourn her passing.  Therefore, this service will not be open to the public.  The family thanks her many friends for their understanding in this pandemic.  A Joyce-ful celebration will be held later this year when the restrictions are eased, and friends and family can safely gather to celebrate her life.  However, if you wish to memorialize Joyce, please do something nice for someone who cannot do anything for you:  feed the hungry, clothe the naked, contribute to the poor.  And most of all, love those around you and be present in their lives.

Online condolences can be shared with the family at www.riverviewfhperu.com.

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