Wishing all of you a Happy Holiday with
From all of us at North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Association
Dear NGFDA members' it is with great sadness that one of our long time NGFDA members and former Board Member Barbara Joe passed away due to a short illness.
Many of you might remember Barbara as the feisty lady who rode around on her "Red Jazzy" honking the horn at our live festival.
Barbara Joe
February 18, 1943 — November 28, 2025
Celina, TN
Barbara Joe, 82, of Celina, TN passed away peacefully surrounded by family in her home on November 28, 2025. She was born February 18, 1943, in Hartford, Connecticut.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lightning Joe and her parents, Beecher and Ruby Baldwin.
She was a loving mother to David (Moira) MacKenzie of Vermont, Richard (Karen) MacKenzie of Illinois, Christopher (Mackenzie) MacKenzie of Ohio as well as stepdaughter, Dawn Levitt (Jay Skillman) of Michigan and stepson, Randy Crawford of Tennessee. She was a loving grandmother to Jonathon Leikvoll of Illinois, Gavin MacKenzie of Ohio, Linnea Jones of Ohio, Karly MacKenzie of Illinois, Brianna MacKenzie of Vermont, Gabrielle MacKenzie of Ohio and Dylan MacKenzie of Ohio and five great grandchildren.
Barbara was a 1961 graduate of Northfield School for Girls in Massachusetts and attended West Virginia Wesleyan College majoring in English. Her working career varied but included Walt Disney World as a cast member and an administrative assistant at Universal Orlando.
She enjoyed her time reading, watching Jeopardy, being a musician who played mountain dulcimer and folk harp, going to music festivals, and traveling to nearly 100 countries. Her favorite destination was Hawaii.
Her family wishes to give their thanks and appreciation to Cookeville Regional Medical Center and Caris Hospice for their loving care in her last weeks of life.
Visitation with the family will be on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 2:00 P.M. till 3:00 P.M. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 3:00 P.M. in the Chapel of the Clay County Funeral Home with Bro. Kenny Westmoreland officiating.
Arrangements being handled by Clay County Funeral Home. Burial will be next to her husband in the Veterans National Cemetery in North Knoxville, TN at a later date.
Barbara Joe
Learn more about the Dulcimer and the North Georgia Foothills Dulcimer Assoc. (NGFDA)
THE MOUNTAIN DULCIMER
The Mountain Dulcimer, or Appalachian/Lap Dulcimer, is a handcrafted folk music instrument holding historical significance and traditions unique to America.
It originates from early 17th-century immigrant settlers traveling along the Wilderness Road into the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, crafting instruments from native woods.
THE HAMMERED DULCIMER
The Hammered Dulcimer is a large handcrafted trapezoid-shaped folk instrument with many strings stretched across a wooden platform.
Its ancient Middle East roots are probably found in the Bible’s Old Testament. It is known in many countries, coming to America with immigrants, becoming popular as a ‘parlor instrument’ in the 1920/30’s.
Meet our 2025 Board Members!!
Barbara Stevens-President
Mike VanDemark-Past President/Webmaster
Steve Mellott -Treasurer
Vicki Allen- Secretary
Laurell Wilson - Fall Festival Director
Jan Stone - Foothills Footnotes Newsletter Editor
Bing Futch - Satellite Leader Liaison