126 Years of Family Serving Family – Joyce and Patrick Davidson, Fort Leavenworth
“Family serving family” is more than a workplace core value to Fort Leavenworth Exchange associates Joyce and Patrick Davidson—it’s a way of life.
When the family patriarch, Chief Petty Officer Patrick Davidson, retired from the Navy in 1997 after 20 years of service, the Davidson family decided to return home to Kansas.
“We’re originally from Kansas City, but we settled in Leavenworth to be closer to the military base and our family,” Joyce said.
In 1996, Joyce started her first position with the Fort Leavenworth Exchange as a temporary label maker. “I was looking for a job and they hired me on the spot,” she said.
In the years since, Joyce has been a health and beauty sales associate, lead associate, Outdoor Living supervisor and temporary manager. She also worked in store ops and was the softlines supervisor before taking on her current role as sales area manager.
“The Exchange is really a family,” she said. “I enjoy speaking with our customers and hearing their stories each day.”
Joyce’s son, Patrick, followed his parents’ example of service and joined the Exchange family 13 years ago after graduating high school.
“I was originally planning on joining the military,” Patrick said. “I decided to work for the Exchange, because I still wanted to be connected to the military and serve those who serve us.”
Patrick started in ops squad and later became a computer technician, an inventory control associate at the Express and a cashier. He currently serves as shift manager at the Fort Leavenworth Express.
“I grew up as a military kid, so I know what it’s like to move around from base to base,” he said. “Our customers are like extended family to us, and we aim to make their time at Fort Leavenworth enjoyable.”
Joyce and Patrick find fulfillment in their memorable experiences at the Exchange.
“Dressing up as a Christmas character for the Toyland grand opening and seeing the kids’ faces when they came through the store is one of my best memories of working here,” Patrick said.
“In 2015, our store flooded,” Joyce said. “It was heartbreaking for us, but we reworked the store quickly to make merchandise readily available to service members and their families. I’ll never forget that experience.”
Joyce and Patrick’s dedication to serving those who serve influences their teammates as well as Fort Leavenworth Exchange leaders.
“I can tell you that Joyce is like family,” said Fort Leavenworth Exchange Store Manager James Gerrish. “It’s not rare to see Joyce in the store on her day off. She even pops in on her vacation time and works. It’s refreshing to see someone so dedicated.”
General Manager Stacey Dobisch echoed praise for the Davidsons.
“Both Joyce and Patrick exemplify the ‘family serving family’ core value,” Dobisch said. “Joyce is extremely dedicated, and Patrick is right behind her. We’re very fortunate to have them at Leavenworth.”
Joyce celebrated her 25th year with the Exchange in September 2021. She cites her enjoyment of the job as her motivation.
“It’s all about supplying whatever our customers need,” she said. “I still enjoy the challenge of meeting the needs of both the employees and customers.”
