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In Memory

Joan Turner (Walker Smith) - Class Of 1946

OBITUARY FROM REES FUNERAL HOME WEBSITE:

Joan Turner Walker Smith, age 93, formerly of Hobart, passed away Saturday, October 23, 2021, living at Heritage Woods Assisted Living in Noblesville. She was born in Gary, Indiana on September 3, 1928 to the late Martin and Ruth Smith Turner. She graduated from Hobart High School in 1946, and also from the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in 1949. She worked as a visiting nurse for the Lake County Health Department.

Joan and her twin sister Jean had a happy childhood in Hobart. Their father, Martin Turner, was the ice man, delivering to everyone’s iceboxes. He employed many of the young men in the town, and during the Depression, he sometimes took payment in produce from people’s gardens. Their mother Ruth “did the company’s books” at the dining room table, was very resourceful and made most of her twin daughters’ clothes. When Martin died when the girls were just 14, Ruth went to work at Gary Methodist Hospital in the sewing room.

When Joan was in nursing school in Gary, she stayed in the attached Nurses’ Home for the students. The house mother was Gladys Walker, who introduced the pretty student nurse to her son Donald, who had returned from WWII and gone to the University of Wisconsin on the GI Bill. They were married in 1950 and raised Cindy and Randy in Crown Point. Having a nurse for a mom meant there were few crises! She spent time as Randy’s Cub Scout den mother, bringing crafts into the home; she sewed a lot of clothes for Cindy and her dolls, and Cindy learned to sew from Joan and Grandma Ruth. And Joan canned a LOT of cherries when the large tree fell from the weight of the fruit in the back yard. She also enjoyed doing needlepoint and researching her family’s genealogy for membership in the DAR.

Music was important to her; she was a member of Calumet Corner Chapter of Sweet Adelines and traveled with the group to International Competition in London. She and Jean (sister) were jazz lovers and made trips to the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival in Davenport, IA. Then she loved Bluegrass music and accompanied her friend Sam to many local “jams” and others in Maggie Valley, NC.

Joan and Jean were lucky enough to remain close to their high school friends even into their 80’s! The group would have monthly lunches and participated in a book club hosted by the Hobart High School librarian after school, sharing perspectives on books like Water for Elephants with the high school kids.

Joan loved being a grandmother. She helped Jenny get her required hours of practice for her Driver’s License (with trips for ice cream) ; spent nights at Riley Hospital while young Bryan went through his treatments for leukemia (allowing Cindy to sleep at home); supplied the picnic lunches when she and Don could meet Cindy’s family in Lafayette at Columbia Park, enjoying the humorous antics and energy of Wesley, and she attended most performances in Indianapolis when Emily was involved in community theater productions and show choir. When she needed more help with doctor visits, Candise was there for her for transportation and girls’ lunches afterward.

Joan moved to assisted living in Noblesville in 2019, closer to Cindy, and that was valuable time together. As for so many, the isolation for a year and a half was difficult. Luckily, visiting time had improved the last few months before she died.

Joan is survived by her son, Randall Walker of Portage; daughter, Cynthia (Larry) Robbins of Indianapolis; grandchildren, Jennifer (Walker) Castilleja, Candise Mula, Bryan Robbins, Wesley Robbins, Emily Robbins; great-grandchild, Sarah Castilleja; and three nieces.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Smith; first husband and father of her children, Donald Walker; twin sister, Jean Graham; long-time dear friend Sam Stancin, and her parents.

Memorial contributions may be made to Riley Children's Foundation, 30 S. Meridian Street, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

A funeral service will take place Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 12:00 pm at Rees Funeral Home, 600 W. Old Ridge Rd. Hobart, IN 46342. Visitation will be held prior to the service on Saturday from 11-12 pm at the funeral home. She will be laid to rest at Hobart Cemetery. For more information, please call 219-942-2109. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.reesfuneralhomes.com.

This information and picture were obtained from:  https://www.reesfuneralhomes.com/obituary/joan-smith.