Mineral Point - Joan Patricia Carey, age 76, triumphantly entered the Kingdom of Heaven on July 18, 2017, surrounded by members of her family.

Joan was the ninth of twelve children born on the family farm in Truman, WI on October 8, 1940, the daughter of Ben and Mary (McKeon) O'Brien. She attended elementary school in Truman and graduated from Darlington High School in 1958. On April 11, 1964 she married Delbert L. Carey, the love of her life. They settled in Mineral Point. Joan worked for Power & Light in Platteville before marriage and worked with her parents at the Dairyland Motel for many years. She worked at Land's End for a few years. She and her family opened Carey's Corner, a safe place for teenagers to hang out on weekends, and ran it for several years. She worked as the secretary for the Mineral Point Police Department for over 27 years, retiring in 2012.

Joan was an excellent cook and baker. She crocheted as her favorite hobby. She loved Country Music, especially Charley Pride and Vince Gill. She liked traveling around the country to visit relatives and spent ten days in Paris in 1993. She enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune and America's Got Talent.

Joan was a long time member of the Catholic Daughters, serving as president of the Mineral Point chapter on several occasions. She conquered cancer in 1998, and beat diabetes for more than 9 years through dialysis. Through acts of kindness and small gestures, she touched many lives. She always thought of others before she thought of herself. She served as a volunteer in many ways raising funds for the church, the fire department, police department, and the football team running the concession stand for all the Mud Dog games. Since starting dialysis, she has crocheted and donated several hundred baby afghans to Upland Hills, to keep our littlest ones warm. In 2014, she compiled and wrote a family cookbook, of which the proceeds went to the Fire Department and Rescue Squad.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Delbert L. Carey, her son Delbert both of Mineral Point, her daughter Jackie (Mike) Marx of LaCrosse. three grandsons, Alex, Orion, and Sebastien, her brothers Paul of Racine, Mike (Helen) of Lake Tomahawk, and Gary (Betty) of Mesa, AZ, her sisters Jean (Phil) Stopper of Baraboo and Mary Karow of Wyocena, her brother-in-law Eddie Byous and sister-in-law Patty (Paul) Kearns both of Mineral Point, and many many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Joan is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Lawrence, Harold, and Francis O'Brien, infant brothers Melvin and Delvin, and infant sister Judy; a brother-in-law Keith Karow, and two sisters-in-law Donna O'Brien and Rita O'Brien.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Ss. MARY & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH in Mineral Point. Fr. Jim Leeser will officiate. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Friday, July 21, 2017 from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the GORGEN FUNERAL HOME in Mineral Point and on Saturday from 9:30 until 10:20 a.m. at the church.

When asked about advice for future generations for the Upland Hills Dialysis Newsletter, Joan said, "Don't waste time stewing over small stuff. Take it one day at a time. Keep a positive attitude. Don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself - just look around you and you will see how lucky you really are."

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to the Mineral Point Fire Department and the Mineral Point Rescue Squad.

The family would like to thank all of Mom's nurses and caregivers at Upland Hills Dialysis Center for the years of care she received and the friendships Joan made there, the Mineral Point Rescue Squad, the staff at Upland Hills, at Med Flight and at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison.