Joan Carol Shattuck

Joan Shattuck, 84, of New Bern, NC passed away on December 17, 2022 at the Carolina East Medical Center. She was born on June 6, 1938 in New Haven, CT to Thomas M Gallagher and Mary Ellen Hopkins. Joan is survived by her husband, Dr. John Bruce Shattuck, children Robert McCarthy (Michelle), Nancy Richmond (Brad), and Brian McCarthy (Kelly): stepchildren Bruce Shattuck (Lee), Jennifer Shattuck (Michael), Brian Shattuck (Sarah), Meghan Lerner (Darren), and Michael Shattuck (Brittany) as well as 24 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her son Michael McCarthy and grandsons Robbie McCarthy and Corey Richmond.

Joan was formerly employed by Yale New Haven Hospital Cancer Center. She was the owner of Homestead Kennels where she raised German Shephard dogs and trained therapy dogs to visit hospitalized children and elderly. Joan was a member of the Christ Episcopal Church and served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister in CT and NC bringing communion to shut in parishioners. Joan worked as a volunteer in several organizations including Carolina East Health Systems, Hospice, and Interfaith Refugee Ministries (EST tutor).

Joan was the founder and operator of Little Dresses International, a nonprofit organization that made clothing for orphaned, displaced or abused children in more than 6 countries including: Haiti, Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Columbia, Honduras and the US. All clothing was distributed by interfaith ministries. In 2007 Joan and her husband John (Bruce) created a Thanksgiving with the Marines program, which bussed approximately 100 marines from Camp Lejeune to the Fairfield Harbor Community, where they were treated to a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner by a volunteer host family. They directed and hosted this program for ten years.

Services to honor the life of Joan Shattuck will be held at Christ Episcopal Church in New Bern on Saturday, January 14th at 3:00 pm. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, please offer donations in remembrance of Joan to Coastal Animal Shelter.

You may address condolences to the family by visiting www.cottenfuneralhome.com.

Cotton Funeral Home is honored to serve the Shattuck family.