MARILYN PHILLIPS SMITH
Joan Smith passed away with family by her side on March 22, 2010. She was 79 years old. She died of complications from diabetes.
Joan was born in Oakland, California on August 3, 1930, the only daughter of Dr. Frank Clifford Phillips, DDS, and Elinor Euphrasia Fink Phillips. The family moved to Exeter, California after her father returned from duty in WWII. He was head of dentistry and oral surgery at Navy Base Hospital 13 in New Guinea.
Joan graduated from Exeter Union High School in 1949 and married her first husband William (Billy) DeCarteret. Joan and Billy DeCarteret had two children, Bruce and Bonnie. She met her second husband William (Bill) Robert Smith on a blind date. Bill Smith had two children from his previous marriage, Sandy and Craig. After they married, Bill adopted Joan’s two children Bruce and Bonnie. The combined family settled in Arroyo Grande and Bill began working for Safeway in Pismo Beach. Having yours and mine, they chose to have a child together, Carrie.
Joan and Bill took a vacation to Lake Tahoe and visited one of Joan’s high school friends who was the manager of the Safeway store in Tahoe City. Falling in love with Tahoe, they moved to Tahoe City in 1966. Following Bill’s Safeway career, they moved to Truckee in 1971. They purchased the Cottage Hotel in historic Truckee. Joan felt it would give her something to do with only one child left at home. She often said it was more than she had anticipated with the characters that came and went.
Joan was first and foremost a mother and grandmother and it consumed most of her adult life. She helped raise 2 of her grandchildren. When the grandchildren were on their own, Joan started sharing her passion and love of history by volunteering for the Forest Service at the Big Bend Visitors Center. Later, she volunteered at Donner Memorial State Park in the Emigrant Trail Museum. Joan also loved to travel. She treasured the beauty of the outdoors and all trips involved a historical site, State Park, or National Park.
Last winter while driving to Tahoe City after a snowstorm, she commented on how beautiful the Truckee River looked with the fresh snow perched on the river rocks and the trees draped in white. Her favorite season was the fall and watching the aspen and cottonwood trees turning colors. She said the colors could be so vivid they would take your breath away. We should all seize those moments when nature touches us and hold them tight.
Joan’s husband Bill passed away in April 2009. Both Joan and Bill are survived by their 5 children; Sandy, Craig, Bruce, Bonnie, and Carrie; grandchildren Tammy, Tricia, Drew, Devin, Brandon, and Nathan; great grandchildren Justin, Kiley, and Evan; and an extended family of “adopted” children. Her family and friends deeply miss both of them and their unending love and support.
Joan Smith passed away with family by her side on March 22, 2010. She was 79 years old. She died of complications from diabetes.
Joan was born in Oakland, California on August 3, 1930, the only daughter of Dr. Frank Clifford Phillips, DDS, and Elinor Euphrasia Fink Phillips. The family moved to Exeter, California after her father returned from duty in WWII. He was head of dentistry and oral surgery at Navy Base Hospital 13 in New Guinea.
Joan graduated from Exeter Union High School in 1949 and married her first husband William (Billy) DeCarteret. Joan and Billy DeCarteret had two children, Bruce and Bonnie. She met her second husband William (Bill) Robert Smith on a blind date. Bill Smith had two children from his previous marriage, Sandy and Craig. After they married, Bill adopted Joan’s two children Bruce and Bonnie. The combined family settled in Arroyo Grande and Bill began working for Safeway in Pismo Beach. Having yours and mine, they chose to have a child together, Carrie.
Joan and Bill took a vacation to Lake Tahoe and visited one of Joan’s high school friends who was the manager of the Safeway store in Tahoe City. Falling in love with Tahoe, they moved to Tahoe City in 1966. Following Bill’s Safeway career, they moved to Truckee in 1971. They purchased the Cottage Hotel in historic Truckee. Joan felt it would give her something to do with only one child left at home. She often said it was more than she had anticipated with the characters that came and went.
Joan was first and foremost a mother and grandmother and it consumed most of her adult life. She helped raise 2 of her grandchildren. When the grandchildren were on their own, Joan started sharing her passion and love of history by volunteering for the Forest Service at the Big Bend Visitors Center. Later, she volunteered at Donner Memorial State Park in the Emigrant Trail Museum. Joan also loved to travel. She treasured the beauty of the outdoors and all trips involved a historical site, State Park, or National Park.
Last winter while driving to Tahoe City after a snowstorm, she commented on how beautiful the Truckee River looked with the fresh snow perched on the river rocks and the trees draped in white. Her favorite season was the fall and watching the aspen and cottonwood trees turning colors. She said the colors could be so vivid they would take your breath away. We should all seize those moments when nature touches us and hold them tight.
Joan’s husband Bill passed away in April 2009. Both Joan and Bill are survived by their 5 children; Sandy, Craig, Bruce, Bonnie, and Carrie; grandchildren Tammy, Tricia, Drew, Devin, Brandon, and Nathan; great grandchildren Justin, Kiley, and Evan; and an extended family of “adopted” children. Her family and friends deeply miss both of them and their unending love and support.
