Obituary of Joan Carroll Cartwright

Joan was born March 29, 1942, in Auburn, California to Rex and Estella Cartwright. She passed away on September 24, 2020, from Ovarian Cancer. She was 78 years old. Joan was three years old when her family moved to Sacramento. She attended Ben-Ali Elementary School, Las Palmas Jr. High School and she graduated from Norte Del Rio High School in 1959. In 1963 she graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in Psychology. At both high school and college, she was a song leader and was active on the rally committee. She got her teaching credential and taught grammar school for the next year in Sacramento. In 1964 she moved to San Francisco and worked as a Social Worker for a year and returned to Sacramento and continued teaching grammar school. In 1968, Joan married Lawrence Blunt, a Sacramento Attorney. They traveled many places together. In 1973 she got her master’s degree in Counseling at California State University in Sacramento. She attended California School of Professional Psychology at Berkeley and received her PhD in Professional Psychology in 1977. After she got her PhD, she worked as a Clinical Psychologist in an Intensive Treatment Program at Preston School of Industry in Ione, California. In 1982, after her divorce, Joan authored a singles directory, The Greater Sacramento Area One Plus Directory. It was phenomenally successful and was a way for singles to meet other singles with the same interests and hobbies. She was also working as a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist in Sacramento. In 1987 Joan went to work for the CIA in Washington DC. She moved back to San Francisco in 1988 and was a Psychology Professor, at a private Psychology School until 1990. She then opened her private practice as a Clinical Psychologist, until 2008. Joan was well liked by her clients and many used Joan as their “coach" to be high functioning adults. Joan also was an expert witness and testified on many court cases. Joan loved living in San Francisco but was anxious to relocate to a warmer climate. In 2008, Joan moved to Palm Springs, Ca where she then opened another private practice as a Clinical Psychologist. She resided at Shadow Hills Del Webb in Indio, Ca. In 2017, she closed her practice and moved back to Sacramento to be close to her family. Joan sat on the Board of Directors of the California Psychological Association. She is a past President of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Psychological Association. She was the Founder and Director of Continuing Education in Psychology and a Contract Award Recipient, at a Nuclear Power Plant, where she evaluated potential employees. Joan loved the Arts, the Opera and sat on the board of directors on the Capitol City Ballet and the Sacramento Opera Association. Joan was a political activist and was a strong supporter of the Democratic party. Joan remained close to a special group of ladies from high school and college. They remember their friend as “she always saw the good in people and found everyone interesting”. Her ability to listen with love and her nonjudgmental presence contributed greatly to her success in life. Joan loved Jazz, the Opera, the Symphony and traveling. Her friends have wonderful memories of their adventures together. She was always kind, fun to be with, trustworthy, and a great friend. She was independent and when she was diagnosed with cancer she never complained and always had a positive attitude. Joan was with her family when she passed away at her sister’s home. She leaves behind many nieces, nephews, great niece and nephew and a great great niece. They all adored their auntie Joan and miss her very much. Joan also leaves behind her sister Diana Lee and her brother Paul Cartwright and their spouses Donald Lee and Phyllis Cartwright. Joan left this earth and joined her brother John Cartwright and her parents Rex and Estella Cartwright.