Joan Smith (nee Gardella), age 88, passed away peacefully at 7:10am on October 26, 2018. She was born on March 13, 1930 in New York City and grew up on Staten Island.Joan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Music from State University of New York, Fredonia in 1952. She taught kindergarten and fourth grade at Parkville Public School in Great Neck, NY from 1952-1956, and taught second grade at Ball State University Laboratory School in Muncie, IN from 1956-1957.In 1956, Joan married William H. Smith and chose to be a full-time homemaker while raising their four daughters. She expressed her ongoing love for education by teaching Sunday school, helping Girl Scouts earn badges, hosting a neighborhood Bible club, and hosting breakfasts for high school students as part of Elmbrook Church's youth outreach.Joan continued her own education by working towards an Art Education degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, attending a Nursing Assistant Training Program at MATC, and attending classes at Elmbrook Christian Study Center, an extension of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Art, music, swimming, camping, and nature were among what Joan enjoyed most, providing her creative expression of her skills and spirit—e.g. caligraphy, a plunge in icy Lake Michigan at age 66, masterfully managing 2-week long tent-camping vacations for her family of six, incorporating nature and music in the home.Joan is survived by her 4 daughters: Susan (Jim) Courter of Macomb, IL; Sharon (Jerry) Rabe of Hales Corners, WI, Jean (Joe) Guidone of West Allis, WI; Nancy (Mark) Holdeman of Carrollton, TX; and 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren: David (Megan) Rabe and daughter Beatrice; Michael (Joanie) Rabe and daughter Felicity; Jackson (Katie) Courter; Ian (Laura) Courter and sons James and Elliot; Stephen and Andrea Guidone. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Smith, her brother, Wilbur Gardella, and her sister Gloria Van Nostrand.Joan's family wishes to express deep gratitude to all the staff of the Respite Care Services at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care. They provided compassionate and watchful care to Joan during her many visits over the past 5 years, treating her with love, respect, and dignity up to the last moments of her life. They provide rare and much needed support to families who desire to keep their loved ones at home.We are also grateful the staff from VITAS Hospice Services, especially for the compassionate and skillful way they helped our mother remain comfortable and peaceful as she passed from this life.Most of all, we are overwhelming grateful to our sister Jean and her husband Joe, and their children Stephen and Andrea, for taking our mother into their home following her severely debilitating strokes and personally caring for her 24/7 for the last 5 years of her life. A visitation will be held on Saturday December 1st at Hartson Funeral Home, 11111 W. Janesville Rd Hales Corners, WI 53130 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. Burial to follow at Chapel Hill Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in honor of Joan Smith may be made to the Respite Overnight Care unit of St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, 2801 E. Morgan Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207.