Joy Davis Skelton ’81, M ’90
“Caring” is how Joy Davis Skelton’s character was described in a single word.
Joy was named the Tiger Brotherhood’s Mother of the Year. The Mother of the Year is a tradition that dates back to 1949 and honors individuals who have demonstrated unwavering dedication and loyalty to Clemson University.
Joy — the wife of Bobby Skelton Jr. ’80, M ’88; mother to Sarah Jo Skelton ’15, M ’20 and Ashley Skelton Young ’07; and mother-in-law to Jeffrey Young ’04 — has a long history of service and impact to Clemson and its students. In the early 1980s, Joy helped create the Clemson University Guide Association during her time as assistant director of the Visitors Center. She was so passionate about putting Clemson’s best foot forward to visitors that she gave three tours on the day she gave birth to her first daughter, Ashley.
In recent years, Joy has created a company, Tiger Baskets, to offer a service delivering a little love from home. In this endeavor — and in typical Joy fashion — she quickly built relationships with students and their parents and often became the needed ear for both. Additionally, she has become a precious resource for everything from where students can get their car worked on to where they can go for a haircut.
More than a decade later, Joy still delivers these gift baskets herself so that students can meet someone local who cares about them.
