02/11/2026
Joy Cronan Corcoran, age 85, of Spring City, TN, and most recently of Hattiesburg, MS, passed away peacefully after a valiant battle with cancer on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the Asbury Hospice House in Hattiesburg, MS, with her children by her side.
Joy was born December 25th, 1940, in Port Allen, Louisiana to the late Thomas Larkin Cronan, Jr. and Edna Dovie Reidinger Cronan. She was a graduate of Istrouma Baptist High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
After graduation, Joy worked for several years at Baton Rouge General before deciding to take to the skies. She became a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines where she would meet her husband of 55 years, Eugene F. Corcoran, Jr. Gene was a pilot for TWA, and he convinced her to go out with him. When he arrived to pick her up in her dream car, a white Corvette convertible with red leather interior, she thought it may be a sign! They were married on October 28, 1967, and resided in Chicago, Illinois. After the birth of their first child, they decided to move to the suburbs. They lived in Elgin, Illinois for about 10 years and then in Hampshire, Illinois for the next 25 years.
Joy was the most amazing stay at home mom. She loved her yard and garden and always had an incredible ability to make things grow. She was one of the local Girl Scout leaders and was a member of the ladies’ bowling league at Hampshire Lanes. After the kids were all out of elementary school, she worked for Hampshire High School as the assistant to the Resource Center Director in the morning, and the assistant to the Athletic Director in the afternoon.
Joy and Gene moved to Spring City, Tennessee in 2004, and started a very fulfilling retirement. They were able to travel frequently and loved taking trips with their siblings. National Parks and European River Cruises were their go-to destinations. They were also die-hard UT Lady Vols fans and enjoyed basketball season tickets. They loved traveling to see them play during tournament time!
Joy and Gene served together with the Senior Citizen Awareness Network (S.C.A.N) where they visited the elderly in their homes. They were also members of the Grandview Twirlers Square Dancing Club. Joy joined another bowling team in Dayton, TN, and was a member of the local chapter of the Red Hat Society. She loved hosting Red Hat Luncheons and always tried to have a fun craft or activity for the ladies.
What she loved more than anything was hosting her children and grandchildren at their home on the lake. She spent countless hours giving golfcart and boat rides and sitting on the dock watching the kids swim.
Joy was a member of First Baptist Church of Spring City and served as a greeter on Sunday mornings.
Joy was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene F. Corcoran, Jr., her daughter Kimberly C. Corcoran, her sister Jacquelyne C. Owens, her brother Thomas L. Cronan, III, her great grandson Keaton S. Jones, and her parents.
Survivors include her son Eugene F. Corcoran, III of Spring City, TN, her daughter Ashley C. Majors (Bart) of Hattiesburg, MS; grandchildren Chelsea J. Jones (Brandon), Benjamin D. Majors, Blake L. Majors, Rhyan C. Majors and great grandchildren Kendall A. Jones and Colton S. Jones.
A graveside memorial service will be held later this year at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.
Donations in Joy’s honor can be made to the University of Tennessee Lady Vols, First Baptist Church of Spring City, TN, the Tim Corcoran Campership Fund at Camp Manitowish YMCA in Boulder Junction, WI, or the Rhea County Sheriff’s Office SCAN program.
Obituary Announcement Courtesy of Vaughn Funeral Home
