Joan Marie (Westbrook) Smith

Joan Marie Smith, 89 of Saucier but originally from Ithaca, NY, passed away Friday Morning, Aug. 27, 2021 at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport. She was born July 7, 1932 in Ithaca, the middle of five children to Frederick and Clara Mae (Letts) Westbrook. Joan grew up in Trumansburg, which is in upstate New York, close to Cayuga Lake. She enjoyed traveling and camping with her family and she loved to read. Romance novels were her favorite types of books to read, but she would read just about anything. When she wasn't lost in a book, she enjoyed playing games with her friends and family. Her favorite was Yahtzee, which she was quite good at. Joan worked as a cashier early on at P&C as well as Tops grocery stores and later worked at Houghton's Egg Farm processing and packaging eggs. Somewhere along the way she me Harvey Walker Smith, a rambunctious daredevil sort of guy that intrigued her. Something clicked between them and they were married in July 1950, making their home in Ithaca. Later they would move to Meridian, MS and Bryan, TX where he piloted crop dusters, before returning to New York to care for his father. In February of 2020, they returned to Saucier to be closer to their only daughter and grandchildren. Joan is lovingly remembered as a caring, kind-hearted woman with a great sense of humor. Referred to as "a trip" at times, she loved a good prank or joke as much as anyone. In her spare time, you could still find her with a romance book or one of her fill-in word puzzles in her hand. Other than that, she was as easy going as they come, enjoying spending time with her grandkids and family. She will be forever missed by all who knew and loved her. Joan was preceded by her parents, Frederick and Clara Mae Westbrook; her brother Kenneth Westbrook and sister Wescena Smith; a granddaughter, Krystal Mae Porter, and a great-grandson, Anthony Thomas Porter. Left to cherish her memories: her loving husband of seventy-one years, Harvey; their only daughter, Melissa (Steve) Porter of Saucier; her sister Shirley (Richard) West of Geneva, NY and brother Dick (Betty) Westbrook of Interlaken, NY. Joan leaves a legacy of four grandchildren: Steven (Amy) Porter, Cody (Anyssa) Porter, Dustin (Alaysha) Porter and Brandon (Kimberly) Porter, with great-grands Tyler VanOstrand, Haleigh, Garrett, Austin, Holley, Steven, Jr., Wyatt and Benjamin Porter, Aiden Jerde, Carolynn and Tyler Dombrowski, along with numerous extended family and friends. Her final wishes were to be cremated, which her family is honoring. A memorial service will be held for her at a later date in Ithaca. Trinity Funeral Services is honored to serve the Smith family in their time of need, asking everyone to keep them in your prayers during this trying time.