Mattie JoAnn Stair

Mattie JoAnn Stair was born on November 28, 1935. God blessed her with an eighty-six year journey here in this world, before welcoming her into Heaven on February 14, 2022.

She was born in Campbell County, Tennessee and later moved to Clinton, where she spent the rest of her life after having met her husband of sixty-five years, Eugene.

JoAnn was very faithful in her Christian beliefs and loved the Lord. She believed in the power of prayer and teachings of the gospel.  She loved the books of Psalms and Proverbs. Psalms 113:3 was one of her favorite verses.

Cooking and trying out new recipes was something she enjoyed through the years. She always loved preparing for the holidays by cooking as if the US Military was invited to join us. We would always remind her that she didn’t need to do so much, but she always remembered everyone’s favorite dish and certainly didn’t want anyone to be disappointed.  We all loved it and treasured our holidays together.

Being thoughtful, she always wanted to make certain we were warm and comfortable when we were sick. And if we felt well enough to eat, she’d make us whatever we wanted, any time of night or day, and bring it to us wherever we were. Dad was always willing to run to the store to get whatever items she needed for a recipe.

And, her gardening skills were incredible. She was a stay at home mom, so to lessen the grocery bill, she honed her skills at growing all kinds of vegetables in a huge garden. She made sure us kids participated. We all complained when she made us break green beans or shuck corn to put in freezer bags. But, we were so glad months later as we sat at the dinner table eating home grown vegetables in the middle of winter. She and Dad taught us the simple joy of picking a tomato off the vine in the warm summer sun, slicing it and putting on a sandwich to taste the sheer delight of a home-grown tomato.

She was also an artist and truly enjoyed using this talent. She was particularly good at sketching fashion designs. She became interested in oil and acrylics and enjoyed painting scenes of churches and landscapes. And, she was always sketching fun little pictures on just about everything. She also had a great eye for photography. She used a Minolta camera for years and snapped thousands of pictures with it. Documenting her adventures while traveling all over the United States and Canada with Dad and capturing treasured memories of her grandchildren growing up before her very own eyes.

As a grandmother, she spent endless amounts of time with her grandchildren and created many wonderful memories for them to cherish. Simple things, like filling up a big canoe with water in the back yard and watching all her little grandkids splash around in it and giggling all day. They thought it was amazing!

She was a mama bear to her children. She loved and cared for them and her grandchildren above all.

Her late husband, Gene, her mother, Clara, and brother, Walt, were no doubt waiting for her to join them in being restored with our Lord, as she crossed through the Gates of Heaven, to be free of this broken world and to truly become who God made her to be.

Her children:

Darryl Stair (Debi); Grandchildren, Cody Stair and Brian Seiber (Jennifer).

Micki Dalton (Larry) and grandchildren, Harley (Amy), great grandchildren, Ethan, Taylor and Bryson. Grandchildren, Lindsey Reed (Vic) and great grandchildren, William and Grayson. Grandchildren Anthony Dalton (Kellie) and great grandson River.

Leisa Martin and grandchildren, Jon Clemons (Carolynn) and great granddaughter, Evie.

She was blessed with two brothers, Pete Brannam and the late Walter Branam.

She also leaves behind, three sisters-in-law. Tina Brannam, who was very much like a sister to her, Onah Fox and Mary Lou Wilson. And, many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

Family and friends will meet for a graveside service for Mattie at 11:00am on Monday, February 21, 2022 at Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Powell, TN. Brother Robert Jones will be officiating. Jones Mortuary in Clinton, TN is in charge of all arrangements.