Joa Beatrice Smith Obituary (1939 - 2020)

Joa Beatrice Wilson-Smith (Jo B) was born November 20, 1939 in Austin, TX to Odessa Fennell. Joa and her brother James Wilson were both raised in St. Johns by their grandmother Sarah Fennell. Joa attended school in St. Johns and she graduated from A.N. McCallum High School in Austin, TX in 1957. She then attended Texas Southern University in Houston, TX. Joa relocated to San Francisco, CA in 1959 where she lived most of her life. She worked for the US Postal Service, this is where she met and later married Christopher J. Smith in 1965, to this union no children were born, however little cousins Andrea and Jonathan filled that emptiness for both Joa & Chris. Joa loved bowling; she and Chris bowled for the US Postal league for many years. They both enjoyed playing dominoes, poker and fishing. Joa lost Chris in 1976 but she remained in San Francisco until 2007 when she relocated back to her home town where she lived until her death. Preceding Joa in death is her husband Chris, Grandmother Sarah, Mother Odessa and Brother James. Joa is leaving behind sisters Mary Saunders, Verneka Lee and brothers Paul and Ronnie Saunders all in FL and a host of cousins in TX and CA. Rest in heaven Cuzzie, we will miss you.