Mrs. Joan Michelle McCabe Grant, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died Tuesday morning, October 23, 2018. of unexpected complications following surgery.

Joan was born April 9, 1935 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 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 thirty-three 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, TN. They celebrated their forty-sixth wedding anniversary on May 5;  she is also survived by her sister, Anne Rives of Lexington, NC; her sons, James Marchetti and his wife Kim of Rochester, NY, David Marchetti of Burnt Hills, NY; her daughter Lynne Marchetti of Chattanooga, TN, 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, NC; grandchildren  Lindsay Marchetti, Kenny Geer, Carolyn Marchetti, Gabriella Marchetti and Jack Marchetti, Samuel Brebner, Rebecca Brebner, Rachel Brebner, Tamati Norman, and Tui Norman.  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 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening, November 6th.  Services to celebrate the life of  Joan will be held on Wednesday morning, November 7, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at Ponders Brainerd Chapel with the Reverend Clare Brown officiating. Reception will follow the service.  She will be laid to rest at the Lexington City Cemetery in Lexington, NC, on Friday, November 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