Patricia “Joy” Tatman of Plainfield, Illinois, passed away on January 20, 2026, at the age of 83. She was born on August 22, 1942, in Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania.
Joy was the proud and devoted mother of her only child, Alda Mae (Mares) Dougherty, whom she loved dearly. Alda Mae preceded her in death in 2024, a loss from which Joy never fully recovered. She is survived by her cherished grandchildren, Nicole Heyman (Chris) and Ryan Dougherty, and her beloved great-grandchildren, Ruari and Saoirse Heyman. She is also survived by her siblings, Alana Lentz (Lennie), David Tatman (late Joan), and John Edward Tatman, along with many loving friends, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alda Mae (née Woods) Tatman and Alan Tatman.
In 1961, Joy met and married the love of her life, James McArthur Wise, in Maryland. Their time together was tragically cut short when he was killed in a car accident on Joy’s 23rd birthday. Though her life brought profound loss, Joy remained hardworking, dependable, and deeply faithful.
Joy built lifelong friendships through her career, working on a naval base and as a telephone operator before spending many years at AT&T and later retiring from Lucent. For the final 11 years of her life, she lived with her cherished daughter Alda and son-in-law James Dougherty. Her grandson Ryan was her devoted companion and caregiver. Joy spent her retirement years surrounded by family, friends, and her church community.
A memorial service for Patricia “Joy” Tatman will be held Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Crosswinds Church of Plainfield, 14360 Route 59, Plainfield, Illinois 60544.
A private memorial service will also be held in Maryland in April. Per her wishes, Joy was cremated, and her ashes will be placed alongside her beloved husband, “Jimmy,” at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Waldorf, Maryland.
May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her. She will remain forever in our hearts.