Joni (Davenport) Claymon, age 62, passed away on August 26, 2024, in Lincoln, NE. Joni was born on October 31, 1961, to James and Sherry (Hircock) Davenport in North Platte, NE. She was a 1980 graduate of Arnold High School where she enjoyed playing volleyball, basketball, and running track.
She lived and worked on the family farm from the time she was born until she was 18 years old. One of Joni’s favorite things growing up was taking care of her horse, Roni. She worked hard to buy Roni all on her own. She enjoyed showing her at 4-H shows and riding her around the farm.
She then attended Kearney State College and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business. After college, Joni moved to Denver and met Mike, and they started their family. Joni and her husband Mike had two sons, Andrew and Brian. Over the years, there were many different pets in the family that she loved dearly including Hank, Jade, Captain, and Glo.
Joni started her own accounting and tax services business that she built up over the years. She loved taking care of her clients and created many lifelong friendships through her work. She retained many of her clients when she moved to Lincoln.
Joni absolutely loved fishing, especially with her dad Jim. When Andrew was born, he also shared their love of fishing, so she had her lifelong fishing partner. They would spend weeks at Merritt Reservoir fishing every summer and even went on a trip to Canada to fish once.
Watching her sons play sports was one of the greatest joys of her life. She also made every effort she could to watch her nieces' and nephew’s sports as well. She loved supporting them and getting to watch them learn and grow. She also loved having them over individually to her house for a weekend full of fun activities just the two of them. Joni made recordings of her reading different children’s books and sent them to her great nieces and nephews for them to listen to and enjoy.
She cared deeply about everyone and never forgot a birthday or anniversary. So much so that she even reminded family members of their own anniversaries.
She frequently attended Nebraska women’s volleyball games with her dad, sister Jacque, and special friend Joyce. When she couldn’t attend the games, she enjoyed providing others with the opportunity to go instead.
In memory and honor of her son Andrew, Joni put on the Andrew Claymon Memorial Fishing Tournament almost every year since 2011. Through this, she was able to put smiles on countless children’s faces throughout the years and helped many families create memories to last a lifetime.
Joni was preceded in death by her parents, James and Sherry Davenport; her grandparents, Darrel and Freda (Bowers) Hircock, Orville and Mary Davenport, and grandmother Lola (Bean) Davenport; son Andrew Claymon, brothers Jimmy and Michael Davenport, and sister JoDee Kimball.
Left to cherish the memories she gave us are her son, Brian Claymon; her siblings, Julie (Randy) Bailar; Jeani Davenport, Dan Davenport, Jennifer (Jeff) Drey, and Jacque (Ryan) Porter; Aunts Marlene Flodman, Lavilla Estabrooks, and Deanna Morgan as well as many nieces, nephews, and a host of relatives and friends.
Memorials may be sent to Joni’s son, Brian Claymon, at 12752 71st St. Apt. 115 Kenosha, WI 53142.
The visitation will be held at 5:00 pm on Friday, September 6th with the wake service following at 6:00 pm at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arnold, NE.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 7th at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arnold, NE with interment to follow at Arnold Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the St. Agnes Catholic Church. Govier Brothers Mortuary in charge of arrangements.