Janet May Smith

Coronado resident Janet May Smith passed away at the age of 93, on October 18, 2015, surrounded by family. She was born to Edward and Mary Dorothy Ferguson, of Weatherly, Pennsylvania. During the war years, she proudly worked as a “Rosie the Riveter,” in Baltimore, Maryland. After the war, she returned home to care for her widowed father. At a hometown gathering, she met the love of her life and married Nathan Smith, a Marine Corps major, on August 11, 1951. She was blessed with his three daughters, and by 1954, six children completed the family. When their youngest twin daughters were two months old, and with less than a week’s notice, Jan handled Nate’s unexpected 18-month deployment to Asia and Indochina with grace, dedication, and with the “can do” attitude typical of that generation.

Jan continued to embrace the life as a military spouse with duty stations at Quantico, Coronado, Quantico again, Camp Lejeune, Pearl Harbor, back to Coronado, and Washington D.C. She readily joined women’s clubs, church choirs, volunteered as den mother, Girl Scouts’ leader, and hospital volunteer. She taught hundreds of children to swim and taught water safety courses through the Red Cross. She made friends easily and maintained contact with many.

Upon Nate’s 30-year retirement, they returned to Coronado. Jan worked for Union Bank at the Coronado branch, as a bank representative for 20 years. She attended at the Naval Amphibious Base and North Island chapels for over 50 years. She was active in the Coronado Women’s Club and the Coronado Bridge and Bay Club, holding offices in those organizations. One of her fondest memories was decorating the dining room tables at the Coronado Villa with monthly flower arrangements for 20 years.

Jan and Nate practically lived on pool decks, devoting themselves to the family's swimming and water polo events. She was well known for bringing family and friends together in their H Avenue home to celebrate holidays. When she wasn't planning a party, she was planning a trip to visit her children wherever their employment took them: coast to coast, Hawaii, Samoa, Indonesia, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.

She was predeceased by her husband, Col. Nathan R. Smith, (USMC, Retired). She is survived by her three children, Coronado residents Nathan Smith (Judyth McLeod), Janie Hansen (Allen), and Jeanie Peterson (John), and grandchildren Jesse Smith (Brittany Dye), Katie Hansen (Edwin Barnes), Lizzie Hansen, and Jacob Smith. She is also survived by daughters, Patricia Stanley of Riverside, Jo Ann Henderson of Denver, and Michele Povitsky of Folsom, and grandchildren, great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

A service will be held at Fort Rosecrans on November 4, 2015, at 2:30 pm. A get together for friends and family will follow at 4:00pm, at the home of Janie and Al Hansen, 524 H Avenue, Coronado. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Nate Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Command Museum, MCRD, San Diego.