Joy Lathem Summers, age 88, passed away peacefully at her residence on Sunday, May 28, 2023.

Daughter of Worth T. Lathem and Rachel Keith Lathem of Canton in Cherokee County, who she loved very much. She wished that every boy and girl could have a Mother and Daddy like hers.

She attended Canton Elementary School. She remembered packing Red Cross boxes for the soldiers overseas during World War II. She also remembered the school receiving big red apples from Washington State during the war. She started playing the clarinet in the 4th grade and played in the Canton High School Band. Joy graduated from Canton High School in 1954. She was in the FHA, Tri-Hi-Y, and the Drama Club. She lettered in tennis, where she played singles and mixed doubles. Not only did she play in the band, but she became a majorette in the 10th grade and was Head Majorette for her last two years. Some of the best years of her life were in school in Canton, Georgia.

She attended Reinhardt Junior College, where she played with the Tallulah basketball team. She was a member of the Speech Club. In 1955 she was selected to represent Reinhardt in the Miss North Georgia Beauty Pageant. She was an Elementary Education major.

She transferred to the University of Georgia in 1955, where she majored in Secondary Education and was a member of the PEM Club. She classified herself as an Independent Woman on campus.

After college she danced with the Lottie Henshel Dance Studios. She served with the American Red Cross in several counties in North Georgia and taught advanced first aid. She also worked for Sears at the Ponce De Leon Headquarters in Retail Personnel. She returned to Canton and worked for the USDA in Soil Conservation and with the Georgia State Civil Defense in rescue operations.

While attending the University of Georgia she met her future husband, Don Summers (Go Dawgs). They were married on April 5, 1959, in Canton. They had 64 wonderful years of marriage.

She owned her own real estate company and was a member of the Million Dollar Club in Houston, Texas.

Later she attended the Southern Baptist Seminary School in Louisville, Kentucky where she graduated. She majored in Christian Education and Mission Training.

Joy, Gina Pendley and Lynn Corliss, out of Northwest Home Health Care, started hospice programs in 6 North Georgia Counties.

She played tennis and golf and had a hole-in-one on the Big Canoe Choctaw course.

She had the opportunity to do quite a number of things in life and loved every minute of it.

She is survived by her husband Don Summers, son Keith Summers, daughter Kandi Cavnar, son-in-law Eddie Cavnar, granddaughter Rachel Kate Cavnar (the gleam in her grandmother’s eye), sister-in-law Margaret Lathem several nieces, and nephews and quite a number of cousins.

She was pre-deceased by her parents and brother Jim Lathem.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, June 1, 2023 at the Sosebee Memorial Chapel with Rev. Nathan Brandon officiating. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Sosebee Funeral Home.

Joy will be interred in the Historic Keith Cemetery in Keithsburg. The cemetery was managed for many years by Joy’s mother, Rachel Keith Lathem.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Georgia Mountain Hospice. Their address is 70 Caring Way Jasper, Georgia 30143.

She will be missed.

Sosebee Funeral Home, Canton, Georgia is honored to serve the Summers family. Sosebeefuneralhome.com 770-479-2131.