Joan Leone Hardisty Davidson

Joan Leone Hardisty Davidson passed away on April 17, 2023, in her home in Mesa. She was born on January 20, 1935 to Ralph and Jeannette (Smith) Hardisty in Martinez, California. She was named Janet at her birth, but her father changed her name to Joan, after Joan of Arc from Lyon, France. Joan was the youngest of six children and grew up in the northern California Bay Area. As a child, Joan was active in sports, music, and farming. She graduated from Truckee High School in California in 1953. After high school, she attended Brigham Young University, where she met Marion Davidson; they were married on June 4, 1958. Marion and Joan lived in Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico with their young family before moving to Mesa, Arizona. Joan has been a resident of Mesa since 1969. Joan and Marion served two missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: the first in Tasmania, Australia, and the second in Durban, South Africa. They also served many years at the Family History Center.

She loved doing family history research. Joan is survived by six of her eight children: DeLane Davidson (Joann), of Sachse, Texas; Jennifer Jefferson (Kendall) and Aaron Davidson (Rebecca), both living in Lindon, Utah; Jeannette Davidson and Marni Larson (Kjell), both living in Mesa, Arizona; and Amy Heaton (Matthew), of Hurricane, Utah; and her 39 grandchildren and 52 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Marion (2010), her daughter Kairlee (2012), and her boy Nathan (2016). The viewing will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Friday, April 21, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm (422 E. University Dr., Mesa, Arizona 85203). Funeral services will be held at the same location on Saturday, April 22, at 11:00am. A viewing will also be held on Saturday at 10:00am before the services.