Joan Grant

Mrs. Joan Michelle McCabe Grant, of Chattanooga, Tenn., died Tuesday morning, Oct. 23, 2018, of unexpected complications following surgery. Joan was born April 9, 1935, in Pittsfield, Mass., a daughter of the late James Aloysius and Gladys Bentley Carmel McCabe. Following her Bachelor of Arts degree Joan received a Masters degree in special education from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. She taught for over 33 years, initially primary school in Pittsfield, MA, and then special education in Burnt Hills, NY. She was very active with the Performing Arts League and the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera Guild. She was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She began to ride at a very young age and was an avid horsewoman, both hunter/jumper and saddle bred class. Amongst the many interesting highlights of her life was being forced to dance with a young Elvis Presley during a performance of the Tommy Dorsey Band in New York City, which is also where she met her first husband the late Louis Marchetti. She is survived by her husband, Ian Grant, of Chattanooga, Tenn. They celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary on May 5; she is also survived by her sister, Anne Rives, of Lexington, N.C.; her sons, James Marchetti and his wife Kim, of Rochester, N.Y., David Marchetti, of Burnt Hills, N.Y.; her daughter, Lynne Marchetti, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; stepdaughters, Megan Brebner and her husband Mark, of Tauranga, New Zealand, Philippa Grant and her husband Chris Norman, of Sydney, Australia; niece, Heather Severino and her husband Dean, of Greensboro, N.C.; grandchildren, Lindsay Marchetti, Kenny Geer, Carolyn Marchetti, Gabriella Marchetti and Jack Marchetti, Samuel Brebner, Rebecca Brebner, Rachel Brebner, Tamati Nelson, and Tui Nelson. She was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Don Rives and a nephew, Michael Sheran. The family will receive friends at Ponders Brainerd Chapel from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday evening, Nov. 6th. Services to celebrate the life of Joan will be held on Wednesday morning, Nov. 7, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at Ponders Brainerd Chapel with the Rev. Clare Brown officiating. Reception will follow the service. She will be laid to rest at the Lexington City Cemetery in Lexington, N.C., on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Joan was very fond of animals and her life was filled with many rescue dogs and cats. Donations in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Humane Educational Society, 212 North Highland Park Avenue, Chattanooga, TN. 37404, Ph. 423-624-5302, https://www.heschatt.org/, who are helping with the recent rescue of a large group of dogs. Arrangements by Locally Owned and locally Operated, Brainerd Chapel of Ponders Funeral Home 4203 Brainerd Rd. Chattanooga, Tennessee 37411. 423-531-4002.