Joanne was born on October 24, 1931 in Atlanta, Georgia to Hershel Levi and Gladys Strebe Clemans. She grew up in Hapeville, Georgia where she met her first husband, M.L. Davis, Jr. They were married in 1951. They had two children, Jeff and Donna. M.L. lost his fight with cancer in 1957.
Later she met Dan Sassaman and they were married in 1961. They had two children, Suzanne and Brian. They lived in Columbus, Georgia for twenty-five years before retiring to Joanne’s beloved North Georgia mountains.
Joanne loved the outdoors, camping in the Great Smoky Mountains and hiking on the Appalachian Trail. She was an avid seamstress who made unique quilts for her ten grandchildren and countless others. Most of all, she cherished her family and friends. Nothing made her happier than to have everyone together for fellowship and a meal where she could often be found singing a song and dancing a jig.
Joanne was the loving and devoted mother of Donna (Don) Dodelin, Suzanne (Stephen) Carswell and Brian (Renee) Sassaman, adored grandmother of Cliff, Jeff, Claire, Matthew (Priscilla), Mary Jo, Leslie Rae, Grace, Evan, Joseph and Charlotte and proud great grandmother of Aspen, Knox and Peregrine. All of these she loved and touched deeply along with in-laws, nieces, nephews and a host of lifelong friends. We will always remember her contagious laughter, kindness and how loved she made each of us feel.
Joanne is preceded in death by her parents, Hershel and Gladys Clemans, her siblings, Ralph Clemans and Dorothy Austin, her husbands, M.L. Davis and Dan Sassaman, and her son Jeffrey K. Davis.
A graveside service will be held later when Joanne’s life can be properly and safely celebrated with all of her loved ones. Please notify the family if you would like to be contacted when the arrangements are finalized.
The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made to The Jeffrey K. Davis Memorial Fund, Young Harris College, 1 College Street, YoungHarris, GA 30582 in memory of Mrs. Joanne Sassaman.
“Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir
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