Jo-Ann G. Smith

Jo-Ann (Weilbrenner) Smith, 67, of Cumberland, Maine, passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at her home with her family by her side. She died peacefully after a brief struggle with cancer. Born in Lowell, Massachusetts on August 24, 1947, the oldest daughter of Charles and Josephine Weilbrenner, Jo-Ann spent her early childhood living in a neighborhood among extended family. Jo-Anns family later moved to Goffstown, NH where she graduated from Goffstown High school in 1965. While in high school, she met and on August 24, 1968 married her high school sweetheart, Jeffrey Smith. Jo-Ann went on to attend Mount Saint Marys College in Hooksett, NH, graduating with a teaching degree in 1969. In 1973 she received a Masters of Education from the University of New Hampshire. In 1978, Jo-Ann and her family moved to Maine, where she ran a nursery school out of her home and helped her husband to establish his veternary practice, all while raising three small children. Throughout her teaching career, Jo-Ann taught in several states from Michigan to New Hampshire to Maine, finaling retiring from Gorham High School where she taught from 2001 to 2008. Jo-Ann was a tough teacher with high expectations for all of her students. She was surprised and embarrassed when she would run into former students who went out of their way to thank her for caring so much. Jo-Ann was an advocate for womens rights, speaking out against inequalities while teaching her students, her children and her grandchildren about the strength and capabilities of women. In 1974, she obtained her first credit card with the help of an ACLU attorney, but without her husbands signature, which was required at the time. Jo-Ann enjoyed reading and belonged to a book group with fellow teachers. She was talented with fabrics and yarns. There are many happy recipients of hand-made quilts, baby sweaters, and wedding samplers. One of her more intricate projects was the wedding dress she made for her daughter. She loved the hard work and peace she found in her perenial gardens and spent countless hours planning and working in them. Jo-Anns greatest pride and joy was her family. She was happiest spending quiet time surrounded by those she loved. She passed on her love of cooking and reading to her children and grandchildren. Jo-Ann is survived by her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Smith; her daughter, Courtney Eisenberg and her husband, Dan of Boxford, MA; her sons, Dr. Colby Smith and his partner, Dr. Annica Nilsson of Uppsala, Sweden, and Brooks Smith and his wife, Emily Miller of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; her five grandchildren, Adelaide, Charlotte and John Eisenberg and Flynn and Hannah Smith; her sister, Helen Blaschke of Lowell, MA; her brothers, Ronald Weilbrenner of Goffstown, NH, and Charles Weilbrenner of Duxbury, MA; her sister, Tracy Weilbrenner of Manchester, NH; and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins. Visiting hours will be 6:00 8:00 pm, Friday, at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 am, Saturday, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street, Portland. Online condolences may be expressed at www.ctcrawford.com. Memorial contributions can be made to the Good Shepherd Food Bank, 10 Artic Circle, Biddeford, ME 04005 and South Portland VNA Home Health Hospice, 50 Foden Rd., South Portland, ME 04106.