Joan McFarland Smith Tate

Joan McFarland Smith Tate, 76 went to be with the Lord On January 7, 2017, after a long battle with cancer. She passed away peacefully at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, surrounded by family and friends.
 
Joan was born on June 24, 1940 in Bakersfield Missouri to the late Elza Leon McFarland and Johna Marie McFarland. She was employed with Bellsouth Services/AT&T from 1956 until she retired as Staff Manager at Headquarters in 1991. She went to Beauty College and worked as a cosmetologist for 2 years until health issues changed her plans. She then became a technician and completed EEG’s and CAT scans for 4 years. She then became a realtor and worked for The Norton Agency until January 2005 when she had to retire after her first surgery for cancer. Joan was a member of Nails Creek Baptist Church.
 
She is survived by her husband Cecil Tate of Homer; her daughter and son-in-law, Sandi and Kent Maxwell; granddaughter, Megan Maxwell also of Gainesville; stepdaughter and step son-in-law, Glenda and Floyd Hutchinson of Lawrenceville; Step-grandson and granddaughter-in law, Trae and Stefani Davis and son Logan also of Lawrenceville; stepson Keith Tate of Sugar Hill; step granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Maria and John Escobar and daughters, Nevaeh, Abby and Madalynn of El Paso, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Pauletta and Ed Taylor of Carnesville; sister and brother-in-law Shirley and Ron Newton of St. Joe, Arkansas; sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Jim Brewer of Topeka, Kansas; brothers Elza Gene McFarland of McComb, Missouri and Charles McFarland of Arizona and a multitude of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
 
Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00PM Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at Nails Creek Baptist Church in Homer with internment to follow in the Nails Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at Ivie Funeral Home in Commerce, Georgia.

Online condolences may be made at www.iviefuneralhomecommerce.com.
 
Ivie Funeral Home 1053 Elm St., Commerce, GA 30529 is in charge of arrangements.