Joyce "Nana" Johnson Davis, 86, died June 1 at Rex Healthcare. Funeral is scheduled for June 5 at Central Baptist Church, Wendell. Burial will be in Historic Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh.

She was a native of Smethwick, England, near Birmingham. She was born April 5, 1922, one of three children of William and Florence Johnson. She was the young caregiver for her mother until she was 18 years old and her mother died. She became a "war bride" after meeting a young soldier named George Pete Davis. She came to the United States a year after her husband had returned and they remarried in the Greek Orthodox Church to include a celebration with their family in the Raleigh area. They owned and operated several restaurants in the Raleigh area — Wake Cafe, Joy's Grill, Davis Restaurant and Rainbow Grill while raising their two daughters. She was preceded in death by her husband, George; grandsons, Adam Tyler Purser and Patrick Dean Purser; parents; sister, Phyllis and husband Byrt Edwards; and brother, Bill Johnson and wife Florence. She believed in hard work for herself, laughing out loud, and loving everyone.

Surviving: daughters, Tricia Purser Faison and husband Jimmy of Wendell, Beverly Bogus of the Atlanta, Ga., area; granddaughter, Meghan Blair Purser of Wendell; twin grandsons, Bradley and Barrett Bogus of the Atlanta, Ga., area.

Memorials may be made to Central Baptist Church Vision Fund or the Adam Purser Youth Fund, 11109 Poole Road, Wendell 27591. Arrangements by Strickland Funeral Home, Wendell.