Diana “Dee Dee” Brady Davis

Posted on January 3, 2024

Diana “Dee Dee” Brady Davis, 75, of Tallahassee passed away on Dec. 27, 2023, surrounded by family. She was born as Diana Lee Granthum in Tampa on April 9, 1948, to Olin and Virginia “Ginny” Mull Granthum. She was the third of six children: Gloria, Olin Jr., Diana, Gail, Chris and Tommy. After Diana was born, Olin and Ginny moved from Tampa to Flint, Mich., for a brief period to be near the Mull family. They were soon lured to Foley (near Perry), where they set up their homestead on a plot of land given to them by Olin’s parents, Ulie and Ada. The six children enjoyed many adventures on the farm with their extended family and friends, and had a very happy childhood, forming strong bonds that would last until her passing. Diana attended Taylor County High School, where she was a majorette and played the flute in the high school band. She was honored to serve for two years on the Queen’s Court of the Pine Tree Festival (now the Florida Forest Festival). She was a proud member of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls. After graduating from high school, Diana attended the North Florida Junior College in Madison. One summer, she worked at the Holiday Inn in Lake City, where she met one of their auditors, Michael “Mickey” Brady of Tallahassee. The two fell in love and were married in November 1967. Mickey was transferred to Jackson, Miss., and they began their married life. A son, Andrew, was born in 1968, and a daughter, Dee Ann, was born in 1969. Diana and Mickey raised their two children in the Jackson area, while making frequent trips back home to Tallahassee and Perry because of their strong family bonds. The family lived in Jackson proper until 1979 when they moved to a house by the Ross Barnett Reservoir and that become their home. While living in the Jackson area, Diana pursued many occupations and hobbies while at the same time being a wonderful homemaker. She loved to garden, and that was a passion that she enjoyed for the rest of her life. She was very skilled at arts and crafts, often making clothes, quilts, crocheted items, painting projects and woodworking. Diana was a masterful cook and made sure there was a home-cooked meal on the table every night for her family. She was sometimes adventurous and experimental with her cooking, never being bound by the exact recipe. When she was home during the day, she loved to help watch other kids and formed a very close friendship with Eva Eaves and her children, Chris and Andrea. But, Diana was not always at home. She was very involved in the church and community. She taught Bible School and Sunday School at Colonial Heights Baptist Church and was later a member of Pine Lake Baptist Church. She volunteered at the Baptist Hospital Burn Center for Children in Jackson. She was active in the Bay Park Garden Club and the Northwest Rankin High School Band Booster Club. While in Jackson, she finished up her associate’s degree at Hinds Junior College, and also attended Jackson State University. Diana had an entrepreneurial nature. She had an unlimited stream of ideas for business, and pursued many of them. In addition to making and selling her crafts, she also acquired a brokerage license and sold insurance, stocks and bonds. She was ahead of her time when she founded Matchmakers, a dating service in Mississippi. It was through Matchmakers that she authored a book and met her second husband, the late Edward Davis. She used her creative talents to start a business making floral arrangements and enjoyed some success working with wedding and funeral planners. Later in life, she had a dog sitting service and enjoyed the company of her “regulars.” She was also a landlord, renting her house in Mississippi after moving to Tallahassee. Diana loved her grandchildren, and they loved their “Grandma Dee Dee.” Jacob Maxfield was born in 1994, Aaron Maxfield in 1997, Olivia Brady in 1998, Nicholas Brady in 2001 and Kaitlyn Maxfield in 2013. To be closer to her children and grandchildren, Diana moved home to Florida soon after Kaitlyn was born. Grandma Dee Dee enjoyed attending sporting events, recitals, school plays, award ceremonies and other activities for all of her grandchildren and being involved in their lives. Diana struggled through some serious health challenges in her adult and senior life, but that did not slow her down much. She had an active spirit and was always looking for the next thing to do. That lasted until her final days when she was well into writing a book to document some of the events of her life. She will be missed terribly by her family and friends. Diana was preceded in death by: her father, Olin Granthum Sr.; her mother, Virginia “Ginny” Mull Granthum; and her second husband, Edward Davis. She is survived by: her son, Andrew Brady (Kimberly), Tallahassee; her daughter, Dee Ann Maxfield, Tallahassee; five grandchildren, Olivia Brady, Nick Brady, Jacob Maxfield, Aaron Maxfield and Kaitlyn Maxfield; her sister, Gloria Bell (Bob), Cookeville, Tenn.; her brother, Olin Granthum Jr. (Debra), Tallahassee; her sister, Gail Tedder (Homer), Tallahassee; her sister, Chris Smith (George), Eclectic, Ala.; her brother, Tommy Granthum (Terri), Perry; her first husband and father to her children, Mickey Brady (Jackie), Havana; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. Funeral services for Diana were held on Tuesday, Jan. 2, at Burns Funeral Home in Perry. The family welcomed all visitors to her viewing starting at 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., the Rev. George Smith led everyone in service to celebrate and remember her life. Interment services followed at Pineview Memorial Cemetery.