Betty Joan (Griffith) Solomon Smith

Betty Joan (Jo-ann) Griffith Solomon Smith was born on November 16, 1931 in Richlands, Virginia, a coal-mining town. She excelled in school! She was the drum major for her high school, played clarinet and piano, as well as sang for her junior and senior proms. Most importantly, she was saved when she was a teenager.

After high school graduation, she traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Vanderbilt University to become a nurse. In 1950, she met Robert Solomon from Knoxville who was a business owner in Nashville at the time. They fell in love and married in 1952. She completed her Registered Nursing Degree. They returned to his home of Knoxville where she also attended UT as he returned to a previous position there. In 1953, they transferred him to the new Rohm and Haas plant (now Dow) in Deer Park Texas. They made their home in Pasadena where Joan was hired as supervisor of the operating room of Pasadena General Hospital. Soon after the move, they welcomed their first child Rebekah, and 11 years later, they welcomed their second child, Ginny. Joan worked as a surgical nurse in these years for the hospital while also traveling to many other hospitals in the Houston area and sometimes to other cities with Dr. Epstein, a well-known surgeon of the area. In 1963, when this physician along with others founded Bayshore Hospital Joan was in the middle of it all and remained here until 1983.

During their 29 years of marriage Joan and Robert were very active in their church, loved to travel (during the 1970s they traveled to 14 countries and all but 1 of the 50 states) as well as developed strong and long-lasting friendships with their neighbors who became like family.

In 1981, Robert “Bob” Solomon passed away just a few months after being diagnosed with cancer. Two years later a co-worker introduced Joan to her brother Albert Smith. His wife and mother of his children passed with cancer as well the same year. They married in August 1983. She left her work, two daughters, and neighbors of 27 years to move with Albert to Durham, Oklahoma where she began a new chapter of her life. After a couple of years on the farm, she felt that perhaps she was not the best farmer but a better nurse, and went back into practicing nursing. This endeavor would require her to travel about 120 miles a day to serve in another rural community of Shattuck, Ok. She was well into her 70's when she finally retired. During her 40 years in Oklahoma, she participated in the local ladies' book club and quilting group. She also enjoyed singing while attending the Church of Christ Durham with Albert and the First Baptist Church Durham where on many occasions, as well as holidays, she would play piano and or sing with and for them.

She was lovingly known by many as Joan (Jo-Ann), Jodi- Ann, or Granny !

On June 26, 2023, at 5:06 p.m. after a short illness, Joan (Jo-Ann) was blessed to enter the presence of her Lord and Savior. She is undoubtedly enjoying getting reacquainted with family and friends who have gone before her. We know she is singing and playing the piano in Heaven, as she loved to do here!

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph “Joe” Griffith (1882-1950) and Bessie Mae Hayton Griffith (1892-1979) siblings - Virginia Mae Mutter (1913-1993), Alfred Joseph Griffith (1918-1990) and Mildred Hurley (1920-2001), her adoring husband Robert “Bob” Solomon Jr (1921-1981) and loving son-in-law Jeff Ginn (1961-1991).

She is survived by her loving husband Albert Henry Smith, daughters Rebekah Solomon Arizola (husband Miguel), and Ginny Solomon Ginn Wagner (husband Jeff), granddaughters Jessica Ginn Douglas and Jillian Ginn Stewart (husband Brandon), great-grandchildren Branson Dean Douglas, Kinsley Anne Douglas, and Lillian Jo Stewart, and nephew Joseph “Joe” or “Joey” Hurley (wife Sara), and

husband’s children Nic Smith, Janice Cama (husband Karl) and granddaughters Lauren and Nicole Cama.

Joan (Jo-Ann) has blessed many lives! She will be remembered lovingly by many and will be greatly missed as well!

Visitation will be held Thursday, July 6, 2023 from 10:00AM to 11:00AM with a Celebration of Betty's life beginning at 11:00AM at First Baptist Church Pasadena, 7500 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, Texas 77505. A celebration of life will occur Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM. Immediately following she will be laid to rest at Forest Park East Cemetery, 21620 Gulf Freeway, Webster, Texas 77598.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grandviewfunerals.com for the Solomon Smith family.