Joy Helen Carter, born in Antigo, to the late Anton and Helen (nee’ von Naumann) Dobrinska, passed away in Johnson City, TN at the Medical Center with her 4^th daughter, Cathy Sue Carter (aka “Kate”), and long-time family friend, Gina Rose-Schmidt, by her side, from pneumonia on Feb. 24^th at the age of 87.

In addition to Joy’s parents, she was preceded in death by her only sister and Joy’s children’s Aunt, Mrs. Joan (& Uncle Jim) Kapusta, and her five brothers and Joy’s children’s Uncles, Harvey (& Aunt Louise), Earl (& Aunt Bev), Robert, Donald, and Larry; Joy’s oldest daughter, Diane Carter (July 2017) of Antigo; her long-time dear friend, Lillian (Lilly) ((TX)); Joy’s 1^st husband, Joe Carter (WI); and her 2^nd husband, Frank Hildrich (TX).

Survivors include, daughters begotten with her 1^st husband, Debbie (Stevens Point), Cindy (Appleton), Cathy (TN), Cheri (Crandon), as well as a son, Scott of Neenah; grandson, Cathy’s son, Zak Carter (TN); her sister-in-law, Mrs. Lois (Donald, aka, “Duck”) Dobrinska (Polar); her beloved cat, Ol Yeller (TN); and several nieces and nephews.

Joy may have been born in Wisconsin and “gave up the ghost” (as Joe would’ve said it) in TN, her heart and home was in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, where she fondly lived from 1976 until having to move to her daughter’s house in TN due to health reasons, in 2015, where Cathy was her main caregiver. Joy loved to travel the U.S. via long car trips; listen to Big Band Music, Elvis, & Frank Sinatra; and enjoyed reading and playing cards. She was a caring and giving mother who was an excellent cook and baker (until she was too weak to do either); and went “all out” to make birthdays and holidays special and very memorable for her children and grandson, while she whistled (which she did a lot) as she worked.