Joanne C. Smith

CARIBOU - Joanne Corinne Smith, 88, passed away peacefully at the Aroostook House of Comfort in Presque Isle on September 2, 2020.  She was born in New Sweden, on February 2, 1932, the daughter of the late Waldo and Corinne (Bouchard) Johnson.  She was a member of the Caribou High School Class of 1949 and after becoming an ‘empty-nester’, Joanne graduated from the nursing program at UMPI in 1983.

She married Ernest “Bud” Smith on August 29, 1951 and they were married until this death in 2013.  Together they raised 4 children on their potato farm as she embraced her favorite role in life,  being a mother and grandmother.  She enjoyed working on the farm and many of their potato pickers will remember her driving the digger during harvest. As a couple with young children she enjoyed square dancing and camping with family and friends. She was a member of Bessie Gray Memorial Methodist Church since 1951,  taught Sunday school, served as church secretary,  was a member of the Piburn Circle,  Jennie Lyons Circle, and was a counselor at Mechuwana Camp .  She was a Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star and a Mother Advisor for the Caribou Rainbow Girls. She also worked at McGrath Insurance and Lombard’s Inc as a bookkeeper,  and as a Registered Nurse at Cary Medical Center and Visiting Nurses of Aroostook.  For 17 years after moving to Madawaska Lake, Joanne and Bud transported the kids that lived at the lake to school.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bud,  her daughter Cindy Powers, and her sister Gloria Bouchard.  She is survived by two sons, David of Stockholm,  and Steven and his wife Gale of Loudon, NH, and Madawaska Lake, a daughter, Bethany of Lancaster, PA,  8 grandchildren,  Eric Fletcher, Laurie Shields, Kathryn Philbrick, James Smith, Jill Orndorff, Andrew Smith, Stephen Woodcock and Micah Woodcock. 10 Great-Grandchildren,   Emily, Rachel, Corinne, Julia, Jeffrey, Addisyn, Anderson, Kiersten, Dylan and Tyler,  her brother and his wife, Norman and Margaret Johnson,  brother-in -law Raymond Bouchard,  and many nieces and nephews.

Our family would like to express our gratitude to the Doctors and Nurses at Cary Medical Center and the Aroostook House of Comfort for the compassionate care Joanne was given over her brief illness.    Due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, a private family celebration of life with be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to The Aroostook House of Comfort, PO Box 867,  Presque Isle, ME 04769,   or via www.aroostookhouseofcomfort.org.