Joan May (Carmichael) Ledbetter was born on April 27, 1931, to Edith and Campbell Carmichael at Barryton, Michigan. Shortly thereafter, the family moved south of Evart where Joan attended a one-room school, Johnson District 1 for six years. She attended junior high and high school at Evart, graduating Salutatorian of her class of 1949. Joan attended Wayne State University and during that time she met her husband Elmer E. Ledbetter II. They were married at the Avondale United Methodist Church on October 21, 1950. To this union were born four greatly loved daughters: Jody Ann (Richard) LaBarre, Judy Lee (Tracy) Ross, Jana Suzanne (Mark) Chrumka, and Jill Nanette (Eric) Tarpinian. Nine grandchildren were born to the above marriages: David, Jonathan, and Steven LaBarre; Rebecca and Cameron Ross; Ashley and Jason Chrumka; Erica and Michael Tarpinian.
Joan also leaves great-grandchildren: Emma and Dalton, children of Jonathan and Tara LaBarre; Jacob, Andrew, and Weston, children of Steven and Kimberly LaBarre; Graham and Hazel, children of Rebecca (Ross) and Jason Johnson; Novie, Isadore, and Callen, children of Cameron and Katie Ross; Elise, Zoey, and Blakely, children of Erica (Tarpinian) and Stephen Head.
Joan worked daily with her husband, Elmer, at their general insurance agency in Dearborn, MI, until they retired in 1984. They retired to Canadian Lakes, then in 1996, built a home on the south end of Lake Isabella. In addition to being a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Joan loved playing bridge with her Detroit-area friends for over 50 years, golfing, and working in her yard and flower gardens.
She also leaves a sister, Doris Kay (Andy) Salinas and a sister-in-law Donalyn (Dale) Vote. A sister, Catherine Lemon, and brothers, Don, Dale, and Gordon Carmichael, predeceased her.
According to her wishes, cremation has taken place and a celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Please make donations to Heartland Hospice in Joan’s memory.