Joy Nabi

Born in Fort Myers, Florida on January 18, 1934

Departed on May 26, 2020 and resided in Nashville, Tennessee

Joy Ellison Nabi was born in Fort Myers Florida on January 18, 1934 to Sidney and Irma Ellison. Joy graduated from Tulane University with a registered nursing degree and married Gene Nabi on August 10 1956 enjoying 62 years of marriage before his passing in 2019.
Joy is preceded in death by her parents Sidney and Irma Ellison and her sister Mary Nancy Scruggs. Joy and Gene had 5 children David Halil Nabi (deceased), Cheryl (and Jeff Dillingham), Scott Nabi, Ken (and Karen) Nabi, Steve (and Vera) Nabi. Joy loved her 10 grandchildren and her 7 great grand children especially.
Joy Nabi was a long time member of Harpeth Heights Baptist Church (now The Church at Harpeth Heights-a regional campus of Brentwood Baptist Church) and has been active with her Christian faith her entire adult life. Joy was passionate about loving Jesus and was a pivotal leader in her church in the area of prayer. She spent many years in Sweet Adelines singing in both choir and quartets which competed at the highest levels in the US. Her quartet friends were like a second extended family to her as they supported one another in life. As a registered nurse, Joy loved her patients and was a compassionate woman toward any and all in need. As a major life work, Joy started an organization called Baptist Homes for Exceptional Persons (BHEP) to help serve the long term needs of adults with cognitive disabilities. They established 3 group homes (2 for men and 1 for women) and donated those homes to the Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes within the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Those homes currently serve the needs of 7 women and 16 men, one of whom is their own adult son, Scott. This legacy effort will serve the needs of families impacted by disabilities for generations.
The family would like to thank the staff at The Village in Bellevue who were tireless, gentle, and so caring for our mother these last few years of her life. We are so very grateful for your care and affection to our mother and to us as her children.
A memorial celebration of life service for family and friends will be held on June 23 at 10 am at The Church at Harpeth Heights. Gathering restrictions will apply and there will be no formal visitation. For those of you unable to attend you may watch the live feed of Mrs. Nabi's memorial at https://harpethheightschurch.com
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to: Stoneway Acres Endowment Fund, to support the Nabi House, White House, and Brooks House Homes of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes. Checks may be made payable to TBAH-Stoneway Acres Endowment Fund, PO Box 682789, Franklin, TN, 37068