Dr. Joanne Martha (Lane) Carnes

Dr. Joanne Martha Lane Carnes, 87, of Idaho Falls, passed away September 6, 2022.

She was born Joanne Lane in Dunkirk, New York, on March 19, 1935, to Frank and Eileen Lane, and was the oldest of four children. She had two brothers, Frank and Dan, and a sister, Jeanine. Her father was a college math professor. She graduated from high school in Plattsburg, New York. She obtained her BA in Education from Cortland State College. After two years of teaching on Long Island, New York, she moved to Pocatello, Idaho, to attend Idaho State University, obtaining a Master's Degree in counseling.

While at ISU, she started modeling for TV, fashion shows, and photography modeling. She entered several beauty pageants, winning a scholarship to the Caroline Leonetti Modeling School in Los Angeles. While at ISU, she met and married Donald O'Rourke. They had her only child, Timothy O'Rourke.

After graduating, they moved to Idaho Falls where she continued TV work. She was the first weather girl in Eastern Idaho and was a success as the host of a local talk show “Telescope.” She was an “Oprah” when Oprah was a toddler. At the same time, she started a charm and modeling school and was a big success working with teenage girls.

After she and Don divorced, she went to work for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Region Seven for ten years. During this time, she married Malcom Carnes. Although the marriage was short, it was exciting, as one summer they biked the entire state of Alaska.

Leaving the State as Manager of Region Seven Mental Health, she worked for Mountain River Psychiatric Hospital in Idaho Falls. In 1987, Joanne started her own private practice (Associated Counseling) as a psychological therapist. During this time, she earned a Doctor of Psychology Degree from Southern California University for Professional Studies. She continued her private practice for twenty years. Dr. Joanne Carnes was well known as one of the best counselors in East Idaho. She finally closed her business and retired in 2007.

Since that time, she and her long-term significant other and "partner in crime," Charles Gilmore, have been snowbirds, spending winters at their home in Sun City West, Arizona, and summers at their home at the Idaho Falls Country Club Estates. They supported each other for over 40 years.

She leaves behind her loving son, Tim; stepdaughter, Chene; her best friend, Charles; granddaughter, Baylee Walker (Randy); grandson, Tyrell Butikofer (Lauren); granddaughter, Calley Gaskins (Ryan); grandson, Kenneth Guthrie; and eight great grandchildren (Brooke, Cohyn, Jackson, Deklyn, Cooper, Chloe, Lillian, and Parker, with a baby Walker on the way).

She was preceded in death by her grandson, Brennan, and sister, Jeanine.

She will be sorely missed. She was a trendsetter in Eastern Idaho, pushing the boundaries for professional women here. She helped many struggling people during difficult times and made her family feel loved. Godspeed, Joanne. You are loved.