March 18, 1946 – December 15, 2025
In loving memory of Gloria Joanne Smith. Joanne was delivered in the old Mindemoya hospital by Dr. J.B. McQuay in 1946. Jo loved school, skipping a grade to begin high school at age 12. She played ‘Buttons and Bows’ on the black piano keys when she was only three. In her High School days, she met her husband-to-be, Jim. Although they were not dating each other at that time, these two built a strong friendship, at first through music, and later bonding them together in love as husband and wife. After graduating from Western University, Jo began teaching English in 1967 at Mindemoya High School, where she found many of her students were almost her own age. There she was active in theatre productions with her sister Marion Seabrook, her Department Head. Jim and Joanne were married in 1969 to begin their magical fairytale life together. Music was Joanne’s joy, a joy which overflowed right into the hearts of so many of her students and everyone she met. She and sister Marion directed plays… ‘Fiddler On The Roof,’ ‘Brigadoon’, ‘Music Man’ and others. Jo wrote music for Marion’s Murder-Mystery plays, which debuted in Abby’s Restaurant to full house audiences in the early 90s. Jo and Marion began a Women’s clothing store together, handmaking beautiful garments for a large clientele, many of which are still being worn today. In later years, Jo and some friends began making greeting cards together, which always seemed much more of a party than a production line. Most of all, Joanne exuded love, was full of understanding, was generous to a fault, and fairly bursting with the joy of living. She was a truly magical human being, the warmth of whose life has blessed so many! Loved and remembered by her family, her students, and everyone she met. Beloved wife of James (Jim) Smith; mother of Kevin Smith (partner Linda) and Tara Bebamash (husband Roger); daughter of Joseph and Jean Hodgson; daughter-In-law of Walter and Margaret Smith; grandmother to Whitney Lepack (partner Craig), Ellie Gauvin (partner Mathieu), Shane (Smith) Caine and Jake Smith (partner Eve); great-grandmother to Danyka Hopkins, Jaxon Boucher, Levi Lepack, Karlen Lepack, Remi Gauvin and Liam Gauvin; sister of Marion Seabrook and Lorene Stanley; beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews. Love is something, if you give it away, you end up having more.
