Mrs. Jane Noe Davis, 79, of Readyville, Tennessee passed away on Thursday, May 15, 2025. She was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming on Saturday, July 21, 1945 to the late James Wilton and Mary Lee Noe Kinports. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Davis, Sr., and sister, Elinor Leigh Schram, and beloved dog, B2.
She is survived by her son, Jimmy (Lisa) Davis of Murfreesboro; grandchildren, Victoria Eakins, Alexis Davis, and Dalton Davis; great grandchildren, M.J. Adams and Audrey Eakins; nephews, Shawn Schram and Duck Schram; and niece, Michelle Schram.
Even with the middle name “Noe,” you’d be hard pressed to hear “no” coming out of Jane’s mouth. She was a delightful young girl with a thirst for adventure. God knew exactly what she needed, and growing up the daughter of a civil engineer suited her well. Though the Kinports family planted roots in Wyoming, Jane stayed just long enough to graduate from Cheyenne Central High School and get in a little bit of college.
During that time, she met a young airman, and from there, the rest was history. Her crown must have been laden with jewels when Jim met her because he quickly grabbed hold of his treasure. They were wed in 1963 and welcomed their bouncing baby boy, Jimmy, just a few years later. Through the years, they lived in Alaska, Florida, and more exotic places, but they often made trips back to Wyoming.
Jane took pleasure in the fact she had the opportunity to live on all but one continent throughout her life. A bright and intelligent young lady, her vivacious spirit and fun-loving attitude allowed her to meet many new people and make friends during all of her travels. She had a knack for finding something good in everyone she came across, and she was the kind of person that brought out the best in people.
That went double when it came to work and maybe even triple when it came to family. Inspired by her father’s work, Jane worked as an administrator across various construction companies. She took a special interest in mechatronics, which at the time was a new program. It gave simulated experience opportunities to tradesmen before they were thrown into real life scenarios. With enough training and effort, Jane could polish the diamond she saw on the inside of each individual.
Working in a male dominated field might have seemed like a daunting task for a woman, especially as the administrator, but Jane was a spitfire and a half. She fit in with the guys and knew how to keep them in line. She also wasn’t one to take herself too seriously, making it easy to joke around and find some common ground with anyone.
Outside of work, Jane was devoted to her family. She knew how to rule with a tender touch or an iron fist if needed. That only slacked up when the grandchildren came along, and Jimmy knew for certain they were #1 in her eyes. She enjoyed sharing stories from her travels. Among her other interests were a love of reading and study of British history. In tandem with her love of reading was a keen interest in comics and comic collecting. She was also quite taken with visiting museums of any sort. When she had the occasion to visit one, she took in every scrap of information, soaking it up like a sponge.
Having the family gather around the table for a game of Yahtzee or Scrabble or sitting back enjoying some classical music suited her equally as well. Although, as female some of these interests may have seemed unusual, she usually went against the grain. She enjoyed attending plays at the Cannon County Arts Center and found time to volunteer her time there occasionally. Jane was also outspoken in her political views. She was a proud Republican and joined other Republican ladies of Rutherford County to support their candidates. She considered voting to be a right and privilege. Being civic minded, she would often help work the election polls.
There was a lot of living done over her 79 years on this earth. She and Jim faced triumphs and defeats, joys and heartaches, successes and struggles, but in their almost 53 years together, they made sure they didn’t take a moment, a person, or an opportunity for granted. They survived and overcame much, and the reward showed in their wisdom, understanding, and appreciation for the simple things in life.
Mrs. Jane’s wishes were to return home to Wyoming and be placed at the “Wedding of the Waters” by her family. Her family will hold a Celebration of Life during the summer and will announce details later.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cannon County Arts Center, Cannon Community for Animals, or the Alzheimer’s Association. Share memories and condolences at www.gentrysmithfuneralhome.com Gentry-Smith Funeral Home, 303 Murfreesboro Rd. Woodbury, TN 37190, 615-563-5337 Because every life has a story