Jean A. Smith, 92, of Vero Beach, passed away on May 3, 2016.
Smith was born Jean Dauber in Cleveland, Ohio in 1923 to Henry Dauber and Esther (Jenkins) Dauber. Her sister and friend, Doris, was born a couple years before.
She grew up in the Chicago area, learned to love music and played tennis in High School. She went to Ohio Weslyan.
Smith met Victor Hays at a USO show. He looked so handsome in his uniform. They married and had four children: Carol, Victor, Charles, and Bonnie. As a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, wife, and friend she was always a model of integrity, courage, faithfulness, and love. And oh, she loved to laugh. She did not grow up in easy times, but love of God, love of family, love of country, and love of friends and her character brought her and her family through time and again.
In her forties, and her husband disabled, Smith went back to school to become an RN and worked at Cape Canaveral Hospital. She loved being a nurse, the people she worked with, and caring for her patients.
A few years after Victor senior died, she met Walter Smith. They married and built a home and happy life in Vero Beach. She became entwined in the area and with many dear friends. Her love for music led her to the Organ Group which she was a member and officer of for several decades.
In addition to her four children, she became very close to her step daughter, Mary Ann, and her husband. When they were not together, every evening they would talk on the phone. Yes, they would laugh and laugh.
She had four grandchildren: Doris and Charlie through her son Victor and Nicholas and Autumn through her son Charles.
She has six great-grandchildren as well. Kelly through Doris; Landon, Brooklyn, and Logan through Autumn; and Carly and Kinsley through Nicholas.
She was generous in so many ways to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved every opportunity to see them.
Smith lived in the home in Vero Beach until Christmas 2015 when she fell and broke her hip and faced months of challenges and afflictions. As during all her life, she was a model of courage. During this time my brother again put his life on hold to watch over her.
Her family and friends gathered around her before she took her last breath the evening of May 3. She said she was ready to go to her heavenly home. She is at rest. Her suffering is over and she is in God’s hands waiting for His return.
Visitation and Funeral Service will be held Friday, May 6, at the Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home in Vero Beach. Visitation will be held from 11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. and a service from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. The burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Fort Pierce at 2:45 p.m.
Anyone wishing may send a message or share a story about Jean can so do by visiting Jean’s memorial page at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.
Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory is handling arrangements.
