Joan M. Tyree was born in 1933 in Jefferson City, Tennessee where her father was working in a CCC camp. Later the family settled in Trenton, Tennessee. She had two younger sisters, Jean and Pat.
Church was always an important part of her life, and she grew up in the Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Trenton. She had a wonderful voice and love singing spiritual songs during this period.
She always believed that God called her to be a nurse. She worked several years as an RN before becoming a nurse anesthetist. Trained at the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia in Madison, TN, she was a CRNA for 35 years. She retired in 1997 from the VA Hospital in Memphis.
She spent two years living in Iran in the mid-seventies, with a brief visit to Bangkok, Thailand and then touring through Europe on the way back to the U.S.
Joan always made lifelong friends wherever she went. She loved cats; she loved gardening, particularly flowers and roses. She loved sewing, an activity which covered several phases: Barbie Doll clothes, fake fur, and lingerie (particularly for plus-sized women).
She raised two sons, Joe Paul and Carl. After her retirement she joined Grace Presbyterian Church in Bartlett, TN and later became a charter member of Harmony Church of Bartlett. In 2007 she married her high-school sweetheart, Jesse Tyree.
Joan died peacefully in her sleep after a long illness. She is survived by her husband Jesse, two sons, two sisters, several nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and one cat, Elmer.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 9, 2016 from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm followed by memorial services. In lieu of flowers the family request donates to be made to Harmony Church of Bartlett. See www.HarmonyChurchOfBartlett.com for mailing address or online contribution.