Joanne Patricia Smith

Joanne Patricia Smith, born in Detroit, MI on October 21, 1951 to her parents Marion Emma Smith and William Sawell. She was the second eldest of five sisters and one brother.

Joanne was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She loved to do artwork using yarn, as well as creating beautifully colored pictures. She loved everyone! Joanne loved children, dancing, making new friends, and singing. Some of her favorite songs to sing were Yes, Jesus Loves Me, and Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head. She also loved our Lord Jesus Christ and enjoyed worshiping Him in church services and at home. She would grab her bible and open it when we had family discussions.

Joanne loved her pets, JoJo and Tiptoe, and several birds that she cared for over the years. She also loved to watch her favorite television shows, The Rifleman, Peppa Pig, The Bubble Guppies, and Blaze cartoons. Joanne also loved to take long walks. One of her favorite things to do was shopping at Kmart and Walmart.

Joanne spent her life’s work with ARCA in Detroit, Michigan, Madison, Wisconsin, and here in Albuquerque, NM. She worked at Kmart stores and enjoyed it immensely. Joanne also worked in sheltered workshops where she made lots of new friends and learned skills that paid her wages.

As evening fell on August 17, 2020, I heard her calling to me, "SanDeeDee, turn that bright light off and get it out of my eyes". I told her that her light was not on, but that her blinds and windows were opened. She replied, "That bright light", and looked up at the ceiling. After I had awakened the next morning, I went to open the blinds in the living room, and I heard her call out "Why you calling my name". I went into her room and told her that I didn't call her. All throughout that day, Joanne was very happy and bright looking as she talked with family and friends via FaceTime; she looked as if she was glowing. What I have come to realize about that day is that Joanne truly heard the calling of the Lord Himself calling her home!!! Hallelujah!!!!

Joanne Patricia Smith went home to be with the Lord on August 18, 2020, after a long battle with cancer. Her beautiful life will always be cherished by her family and friends. Joanne was preceded in death by her mother Marion Emma Smith, and her sister, Phyliss Dean Smith-Miller. Joanne is survived by her siblings, eldest sister, Jacqueline Paulette Moss, Catherine Denise Webster and her husband William, Elise Lynette Davis; her brother, James Knox Smith, and youngest sister, Sandra Delores Taylor; her nieces and nephews, Hollie Gross and her husband Sigmund; Heather Smith; Ernest Miller and Marion McClary, niece and nephew from her late sister, Phyllis Miller, and their spouses, Brandi Martinez-Miller and William McClary; Cameron Smith; Michael Evan Moss; Rebecca Roberts and her husband Andrew, and Rachel Webster; her great-nieces and nephews; Lauryn Smith, Daniel Vaughn, Landon Gross, Jaylen Kittrell, Jacqueline Gross, Ylena Gross, Jude Roberts, Gabriel Roberts, Christian Miller, Naya Miller, and Esme Roberts, and a host of friends.