Oh Joan. Ur family at MDC miss you dearly. Love you my friend! 😘

   I had the pleasure meeting Joan while I was visiting my grandmother, Letha Macon one weekend. Joan and her parents visited Wake Forest on occasion and there was usually one or more cousins around during their visits. I was very young when I met Joan, and she was the very first person I had ever met with a disability. I wasn't sure how to react to her but once she smiled at me, her tenderhearted personality put me at ease. I loved visiting with her even when it was difficult to understand her. 
     Her laughter was infectious. When she laughed, those around her could not help but laugh too.  When she heard music, she danced in her wheelchair as though she was moving around the room on a cloud rather than being limited within the confines of her chair. In fact, you couldn't keep her still! 
     Because of my experiences with her early in my life, I learned empathy and kindness toward those with disabilities. As I grew older, I wanted to help others with disabilities so I spent time volunteering at places where I could bring joy to others. I had an opportunity to take a field trip to the NC State Fair with a group from the local cerebral palsy center. It made me so happy to put a smile on their faces just like Joan did for me! The way she lived her life without limitations and without fear have impacted me in ways I could never have imagined!
     Dear Joan, I am so thankful to have known you and to have learned  to see the beauty of others from within! You will always have a special place in my heart. And your strength and spirit will forever make me smile when I remember how you lived your life... full of love and laughter and without limitations! Safe journey home, dear cousin!!!

   Cousin Joanie, as I called her, used to come to Wake Forest with her Mom and Dad to visit with her Aunt Letha, her father's sister. I lived in the same house, and we met when I was about 10 years old. Her parents would let me push Joanie in her wheelchair to my bedroom and we would have some serious girl time while they talked. 
    She loved listening to music so I would play records, or she would choose a station on her transistor radio,  and Joanie would dance sitting on the edge of her wheelchair. Sometimes, Joanie would talk about her activities at Butner and ask me questions about my school. It was very clear that Joanie was fond of some of the staff and students, but there were certainly others she just did not care for!
   Joanie made a big impact on my life. I had never been around someone with physical and mental challenges before, and I used to be afraid she would get hurt when I pushed her around.  Also, I did not know how to respond to some of the things she said, but we did a lot of talking nonetheless. Thanks to Cousin Joanie, I learned a lot about being friends with someone who had multiple disabilities.  
   We had fun just doing what Joanie could do and talking about things of interest to her.  Although there was a 23-year age gap between us, our ages did not matter in the end.  We were just two girls enjoying the day.
   Her parents would come to visit a few times a year and each time, Joanie and I would end up spending time together. Everyone in our family loved Joanie and treated her with kindness. She was never ignored and was always included in conversations around the dinner table and gently teased by her cousins. She loved the attention!
  Joanie, thank you for all you gave to everyone whose lives you touched, especially mine. I hope you've been able to be reunited with your parents, especially your father whom you adored. I'm sure you are playing music and dancing away with no limitations. Dance away, Cousin Joanie. We love you!


I love and miss Joan. She was and is loved at Parkview. We still talk about our individual memories with her. Mike was so important to her and we all at MDC cherish her. Especially her Buddy Dava. God bless. 

Rest in peace dear Cousin Joan. I will always have fond memories of playing with you when we visited North Carolina when I was a child. Condolences to the family! 
Bonnie Smith Piper

OBITUARY

Maxine Joan Smith

November 28, 1932 – January 8, 2022

Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home

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