Joe E. McCart, 82, of Hoschton, died peacefully in his sleep at home on April 13, 2024. Born in Bogart in 1941, Joe was born with a heart condition that he battled all his life. Many did not realize that his zest for living each day to the fullest came with the knowledge that any day could be his last.
McCart
Born into a family of sharecroppers, Joe was the fifth of seven children to Jack R. McCart and Bessie Smarr. Working in the fields as a young teenager, Joe learned the hard work and skills needed to perform anything required to plant and maintain the equipment needed to harvest the crops. His family eventually moved to Columbus, Ga. and Jacksonville, Fla., but his heart always remained in Farmington where he had met the love of his life and wife of 63 years, Nancy Middlebrooks McCart. When Nancy had completed her nursing education at Crawford W. Long Nursing School and began her nursing career, Joe found his first big city job in the mailroom of D.L. Stokes Insurance Agency.
Joe would drop Nancy off at the hospital at 6 a.m. and spend the early morning hours studying insurance manuals. He quickly became an expert in insurance coverages. After a few years working with Pacific Indemnity Insurance Company, Joe started the Joe McCart Insurance Agency in September of 1971 with one employee, Susie Johnson. The McCart Group became a regional insurance brokerage firm with 150 employees. In January 2014, McCart merged with EPIC Insurance Brokerage and Consultants to create a national insurance platform.
Joe was the ultimate family man, mastering the work-life balance to build a strong family. Joe is survived by his wife of 63 years, Nancy of Flowery Branch; their children, and spouses, Kathryn McCart Schrader (Richard) of Duluth; Jeffrey Walter McCart (Shema) of Boca Grande, Fla; and Joseph Anthony McCart (Carole) of Hoschton. He was proud that his sons, Jeff and Tony, followed in his footsteps in the insurance industry, and of his daughter who forged her own path in the legal field. Other survivors include grandchildren Jordan (Hollie) McCart, Gabe Guerra, Russell Schrader, Joey Schrader, Ashley (Ryan) Economou, Emma Welch and Ryan Welch. He was especially tickled with his great-grandchildren, Jack Perry McCart, Ivy Economou and James McCart. He is also survived by his sister, Annette (Harvey) Mears, and brother Larry (Gail) McCart and sister-in-law, Jo Ann Morgan. He was a member of the Seeker’s Class at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church.
Joe was a lifelong Methodist and founding member of Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church in Dacula., where he served on many committees and Nancy led the campaign to begin Lightway Recovery Wellness Center for Women to support women and families struggling with substance abuse and other mental health disorders.The Celebration of Life was held April 16, 2024, at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church. Wages and Sons Funeral Home of Lawrenceville. handled arrangements. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church at https://hmumc.org for the McCart Seekers Scholarship or Lightway Recovery Wellness Center for Women at https://lightwayrecovery.org/ to help fund the Katie Schrader Memorial Scholarship.
Follow Us