Joan was the heart and soul of an adventure filled life for her family and friends around the globe. Her zest and love for life was infectious. She raced cars, flew airplanes, sailed boats, and played golf. She bowled and fished better than most men. Most of all she loved family gatherings. Her smile and enthusiasm disarmed the most serious non-hugger. She was a living legacy of love for all around her. She loved her family, her friends, dogs, babies, people who helped her, people she helped and people who smiled at her. Her twinkling eyes and beautiful smile captivated everyone who met her. Love was the foundation of her faith and her way of life and energized her daily witness and service to others. This is her story and an attempt to preserve her legacy.
About the Author: Donald Archie Smith was married to Joan for over 57 years. He was born in Dayton, Ohio on February 23, 1934 and attended grade school in Findlay, Ohio and Westwood and Residence Park in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Roosevelt High School as valedictorian in 1952. He attended Harvard College on an NROTC scholarship. He met Joan at college. The were married May 18, 1955 in Nashua, New Hampshire. In February 1956 he became a research engineer for North American Aviation in Columbus Ohio where he served for 24 years. He returned to Harvard in 1961 to finish his A.B. in Mathematics and Physics and then worked briefly for National Cash Register as an Operations Research Specialist. During his service with North American he was recognized for his work in nuclear effects research by the American and British Atomic Energy Commissions and the U.S. Bureau of Naval Weapons. He then joined in pioneering research in precision guided missiles, served as Director of International Operations for the Guided Missiles Division, and became the Program Director for the Navy Condor Missile and the Air Force Homing Bomb Systems for North American Rockwell. In 1980, he and Joan moved to Columbus, Indiana where he served as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and Director of the Calspan Corporation. He then was selected as the Director of Finance and Administration for the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, moving to Marion, Indiana in 1986. There he served on a national task force to create a nationwide health insurance program for the United Methodist Church. After approval of that program by the General Conference he was asked to move to Evanston, Illinois to implement the program nationwide, serving as the Senior Associate General Secretary for Health Benefits. He retired from there in 1996. He and Joan moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where they established a private tax practice which they could work together and did so through the 2012 tax season. In 2010 he and Joan moved to a cottage in the Franklin United Methodist Community in Franklin, Indiana where he still lives.