Joan B. Smith passed away at home on April 17, 2015, with her family at her side. She passed away in Franklin, NC and had moved to the Smokey Mountains 19 years ago. She was 83 years old.
She was born December 12, 1931, in Poughkeepsie, NY to her late parents, Ruth Merte Decker and Stanly Decker. She is survived by her siblings, Gordon Decker of Texas and Carol Hope of North Carolina. While her brother Arthur Decker of Maine, passed away. She had five children; Frederick Brandt (deceased), Susan Tucker of Texas, Darren Brandt of Virginia, Cathi Smith of North Carolina and Bonnie Leitheuser of New York. She has 15 grandchildren and numerous Great and Great/Great grandchildren.
Joan loved animals and saved every one she could. In fact, her father had to frisk her each night before bed or she would smuggle a baby animal in to cuddle all night. She made her living with them as well. She became a groomer, breeder and owned a kennel. She started her business back in the 1970’s when it was hard for a woman to do so and it thrived. She also trained horses and went on long trail rides as often as she could. She “saved” her favorite horse from the show ring and he remained with her until he died at age 29. She was spontaneous, when the 1976 Bicentennial Wagon Train came through town she had to be in it. She packed up the horses and several lucky cohorts to spend a couple weeks riding to Valley Forge, PA. She was always willing to have fun but the one rule was she had to be home to feed the animals.
She became a Reverend of the Spiritual Science Mother Church in the early 1970’s. She was a Spiritual Teacher and taught many Light Workers on their path. Joan liked alternative medicine and spent time learning about it.
There will be no memorial service at this time. There will, however, be a reunion here in WNC planned for summer 2015. To send online condolences please visit maconfuneralhome.com. She wanted this to be conveyed to all of you:
“Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away to the next room. Whatever we were to each other, we still are. Call me by my old familiar name. Speak to me in the same easy way you always have. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, and pray for me.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it always was. There is absolute unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of your mind because I am out of your sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well. Nothing is past. Nothing has been lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before, only better. Infinitely happier. We will be one, together forever.”