Joyce Gunter Ochsner

Joyce Gunter Ochsner, 85, of Chattanooga, TN, passed away Saturday, November 22, 2025 after a year long battle with leukemia. Her last days were spent with her family while under the care of Hospice of Chattanooga.

Joyce was born in 1940 in Chattanooga, TN, the daughter of Charles Edward and Mary Echols Keith. While growing up on Worthington Street, she attended Normal Park Elementary, Northside Junior High, and City High School. Upon graduation in 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, Aubrey Murray Gunter. Joyce then attended McKenzie Business College in 1959. Shortly after, she and Murray moved to Oberammergau, Germany where Murray fulfilled an assignment with the US Army. After returning to the United States, they were blessed with four children; Cindy, Sheri, Charles and Murray Jr. They later divorced in 1987 and Murray Sr, passed away in 1990.

While attending First Centenary United Methodist Church, Joyce met Boyd Harold Ochsner and they married in August of 1990. They were married for over 34 years before Boyd's passing in June of 2024. Joyce and Boyd shared a love for family, flowers, travel, extra long walks on the beach, playing Bridge, and a strong work ethic. Above all, they always looked forward to large family gatherings around holidays and birthdays. Perhaps the most cherished of all were the Christmas Eve dinners they hosted with family and friends. These dinners always included singing Christmas carols, playing the White Elephant Gift Exchange, taking countless pictures, and much laughter. The memories of those evenings have been fondly recalled countless times and the traditions therein treasured by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Joyce spent most of her 40+ year professional career working as a legal secretary for several law firms in Chattanooga before transitioning to Clinique as a consultant. She found great joy in meeting new customers and developing friendships while working for Clinique. She also took great pride and pleasure in providing makeovers and sharing skincare tips with her customers. She carried this joy into her last month of life, even offering to give makeovers to some of her nurses. We all know she would have made good on her offer if she had been able.

Joyce eventually retired from Clinique in September 2024, at the young age of 84, when she began feeling weak. Shortly thereafter she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on October 9, 2024. Three days into her diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment at Memorial, her home flooded due to a plumbing failure and she lost most of her possessions. In November 2024, she broke her hip in a fall and never regained full mobility. In January 2025 she moved into the Ashwood Retirement Community where she met many wonderful friends with whom she enjoyed a shared love of dogs and playing Bridge.

Despite her battle with cancer, the loss of home, her loss of mobility and the loss of most of her earthly possessions, her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ remained. She often would say, "It's just stuff" and "You can't take it with you." As she battled leukemia and faced the additional trials of this past year, she was determined to share the healing power of the Lord with all that she met while living at the Ashwood Retirement Community and with the oncology staff at Memorial Hospital. With a hope of remission and earthly healing, Joyce's desire was to someday return to the oncology wing at Memorial and minister to the patients there. While her hope was for physical healing in this life, she knew that her ultimate healing was found in her Savior Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for her sins.

Joyce was known as Grandmom, Meemaw, Grandmommy Joyce, Gram, and Gigi by her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She had a special place in her heart for miniature dogs and owned four throughout her life: Shatzi (German for sweetheart), Heidi, Hans, and Angel, each of whom were dear companions to her. She had a gift and love for baking desserts, most notably sour cream pound cake, grasshopper pie, and German chocolate cake. Joyce also enjoyed painting, sewing, playing piano, reading novels, creating silk flower arrangements, and playing Bridge.

Joyce would never pass up a shopping trip, as her closets would prove, and she had a keen eye for fashion. You could always count on seeing shells and beach decor in her home, which reflected her love for sand and sea. Upon every return from a beach trip you could be sure she would be sporting a deep golden tan from her hours of reading on the beach. In an earlier season of life, she found joy and fulfillment in serving as a Stephen Minister, teaching children's Sunday school classes, and serving in vacation Bible schools. Among the fond memories her family holds, Joyce will especially be remembered as a resilient and brave woman who faced the challenges in her life head-on, with faith in the Lord and an unstoppable determination.

Joyce is preceded in death by her husband Boyd Harold Ochsner and her parents Charles Edward and Mary Echols Keith. She is survived by her children Cindy (Charlie) Cox, Sheri (Lamar) Carter, Charles (Katrina) Gunter, and Murray (Allison) Gunter; grandchildren Charles (Danielle) Cox, Brooke (Cody) Downey, Eme Gunter, Eleanor Gunter and Adyson Gunter; great grandchildren Marissa Cox and Annabelle Downey. Joyce is also survived by many dear cousins including Starr (Tom) Meade, nieces, nephews, and dear sister-in-law June Ochsner.

Two church bodies that particularly ministered to Joyce in her final years were Grace Works and Ridgedale Baptist. Dr. Bill Owens and Pastor Doug Plumlee especially provided much encouragement to Joyce and her family over the past year.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Joyce's memory to the St. Jude’s Foundation and Chattanooga's McKamey Animal Center.

Services will be held Saturday, November 29th at 11:00 am in the funeral home chapel with Dr. Bill Owens and Pastor Doug Plumlee officiating. Burial will be Monday, December 1st at 10:30 am at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.

You may share condolences with the family at www.heritagechattanooga.com

The family will receive friends on Saturday, November 29th from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road.