Iris Mitchell Davis

Iris Elizabeth Mitchell Davis, 85, of Grifton, peacefully slipped from this earth on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. She was lovingly surrounded by her family. She was born on May 28, 1938, to Eber and Martha Mitchell and was the oldest of nine children.
A celebration of life and memorial will be held at 3:00 pm on Sunday, September 24, 2023 at the Grifton FWB Church at 674 Wall Street in Grifton. The family will receive guests at 2:00 pm. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, September 25, 2023 at Evergreen Memorial Estates in Grifton.
Iris was raised in church but never fully surrendered to Jesus Christ until 1989. She gave Him her all and boldly proclaimed her faith. She was a loyal member of the Grifton FWB Church and very active in every aspect of it.
Iris was a woman of busy hands. She quit school at age 15 to work in a department store to provide for her younger siblings. She worked for many years at Belk's of Kinston, and for her brother-in-law, Bum Dennis, at his restaurant in Ayden. She retired from DuPont. Flowers flourished under her care and her home was immaculate. She gave her greater strength to her family that she loved with undeniable passion. They included her husband, Jim, Sr. They were married for 61 years until death took him in 2020. He adored the life and home she made for him. She took hospitality to a greater level. Her home was always open to her family and any preacher and missionary that needed a meal and a place to lie down and rest.
Preceding her in death in addition to her parents and husband are her sister, Dorothy Harris, and brother, Eber "Mitch" Mitchell.
They had one child, Jim Wright Davis, Jr. of Grifton. Jim and Rhonda moved in to care for her when Iris' health began to fail. Rhonda left her teaching career to care for her mother-in-law. They became devoted to each other, and the family has deep gratitude for the years of care she gave to our beloved Iris. She was a biblical Ruth to our Naomi.
Iris loved big. To her the sun set and rose with her three grandchildren. They are Bradley Davis (Nicki) of Greenville, NC, Candace Jones (Nathan) of McDonald, TN, Dana Newby (Carl) of Currie, NC. The stars in her sky were her greats: Brent, Finn, Dylan, Lily, Lauren, Chloe, Kenley, Peyton, Everett, and Raelynn. They brought her joy.
No one has loved their siblings more than our Iris. Her love was fierce for them. She had a large room built onto the back of her house so that she could feed them on Sunday. She could fry chicken for a hundred and never break a sweat. They are Letha Buck (Lamur) of Black Jack, Barbara Grady, of Kinston, Shirley Dennis, of Ayden, Rev. Van Mitchell, (Gloria) of Grifton, Diane Hanson (Lyal) of Alaska, Laverne Atwell (Jim) of Grifton. Also surviving are her brother-in-law, Bud Harris of Kinston, and her sister-in-law, Becky Mitchell of Grifton.
Iris loved her extended Davis family and her nieces and nephews that called her their Aunt Sustah.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Cheri Bowles, RN and Cynthia Joyner, NAII with Amedisys Hospice. They provided exceptional care and support to Iris and our family during her hospice journey.
Flowers are welcome and memorials in her honor may be made to Grifton FWB Church P.O. Box 537, Grifton, NC 28530.