Brenda Escorpizo-Smith, the loving wife of Joseph James Smith, Jr., created and wanted to share his obituary with his family and friends.
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Joseph James Smith, Jr., 84, a resident of Orange City, Florida, passed away peacefully and comfortably in the morning of January 23, 2023 at the hospice care center of the Advent Health Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City. He never recovered from a tragic seizure he had before falling off his chair with his head hitting the ceramic floor on the night of January 7.

He was pre-deceased by his late wife of 52 years, Joanne Elizabeth Smith, on July 22, 2011 (they were married on August 8, 1959 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Albany, New York). He is survived by: his second wife, Brenda Escorpizo-Smith, who he married on May 7, 2016; his stepdaughter, Bernice Escorpizo; his five daughters -- Diane Lynn Capano, Robin Anne Viana, Dawn Marie (Walter) Carlson, Gail Suzanne (Eric) Bourcier, and Danielle Jo Smith; his five grandchildren – Michael III and Dominique Capano, Isabella Viana, Corey and Michaela Rust, and his two great grandchildren, Mila and Gia Rust.

Joseph (Joe) was born on February 5, 1938, the oldest of five sons of the late Joseph J. Smith, Sr. and Sarah E Orr. He had two surviving brothers, John and James, and two deceased brothers, Robert and Edward. He was born and raised in Albany, New York. He worked for the General Electric Company as a machinist for more than 30 years, from which he took an early retirement at the age of 55. Joe and Joanne took up residence in Titusville, Florida in the late 90's and travelled in their RV back and forth from Gloversville (where they raised their five daughters) as snow birds before settling in for good in 1999. Joe volunteered at Meals on Wheels in the Titusville area for many years delivering food to the sick and homebound.

He was actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America. He and Joanne had the distinction of being the first Big Brother/Big Sister couple in Fulton County, New York. He was a big fan of the New York Giants, was an avid golfer and loved boating with his family and bowling with Joanne.

On the other hand, during his life with his surviving wife Brenda, he immensely enjoyed going on trips with her. They went on a Mediterranean cruise for their honeymoon right after their wedding in May 2016 to Rome, Spain, France, Malta and Italy. In the same year, they went to Las Vegas where they attended a business convention in June and Brenda's college reunion in September. While in Las Vegas, they went to Arizona and toured the Hoover Dam. Later that year, they went on a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.

In August 2017, they joined a religious pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in France and to the Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal for the centennial celebration of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three innocent children. After the pilgrimage, they flew to Paris, France for almost a week to enjoy a tour of the City of Lights, and visited the Versailles Palace in the outskirts of France. In December, they went to California to spend Christmas with his daughter Robin and granddaughter Isabella with Brenda's daughter Bernice joining them, who flew in from Denver.

In April-May 2018, they embarked on a 22-day personal guided tour of the Philippines, where Joe got to see where Brenda was born and raised and also visited the university she graduated from as a CPA. He met Brenda's youngest sister Yoly Cruz and family, some relatives, and a few of her childhood friends. Joe and Brenda explored various interesting beautiful tourist spots in the Philippines that made him wanting to possibly move to the country in the future. In November 2018, they went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean before they moved from Orlando to their new house in Orange City in December.

In August of 2019, they went to Atlantic City, New Jersey to attend Brenda's college reunion, after which they drove to Rockland County, New York, where Joe got to see Brenda's old house in New City and met some of her former neighbors. In October, they traveled to Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) to visit Brenda's aunt and uncle. In December 2019, they went to Hawaii for a land tour of Maui for four days before going on a 7-day cruise of the Hawaiian Islands. In Maui, Joe got to meet Brenda's aunt and uncle and cousins who lived there.

In May 2020, they were supposed to go on another cruise to the Mediterranean that would include Greece and Venice, but because of the Covid-19 restrictions, the said cruise was postponed twice until the restrictions were lifted in late 2022 that they were finally booked to go in May this year to celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary. Sadly, Brenda had to cancel it under the circumstances.

Both widowed for several years, Joe and Brenda came into each other's lives through Christian Mingle, a faith-based online dating in the summer of 2015. Joe instantly liked what he saw when he first laid eyes on her picture and got more interested in her profile that he pursued her. After a few months of courtship, he proposed on Valentine's Day 2016 and on May 7, 2016, they exchanged solemn marriage vows in Holy Matrimony at the St. Thomas More Traditional Catholic Church in Sanford, where they went to Mass together every Sunday and holy days of obligation. Both devout Catholics, they prayed the Holy Rosary every night before going to bed, no matter where they were, at home or on trips.

Joe also met and got to know Brenda's other sisters in California, Lily and Myrna Ferrer. They attended Myrna's funeral when she passed away in December 2016.

Joe enjoyed quite a social life. Aside from their co-parishioners, he met and got to know Brenda's friends, business associates, tax clients and some relatives. They attended business meetings, conventions, and birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve at some friends' house.

Fr. Pierre Duverger, one of their priests, gave Joe the Holy Extreme Unction with the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist three times during his stay at the hospital, the last of which was the day before he was moved to hospice. Thus, Brenda finds great solace in her grief knowing that Joe's soul was saved from the eternal damnation of hell.

Viewing will be at the DeGusipe Funeral Home on Monday, January 30, in the evening. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Pierre Duverger at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 31, at the same church where they got married. After Mass, his body will be transported to the Riverview Cemetery in Cocoa, Florida, where his remains will be buried beside his late wife Joanne in their plot with the urn containing her ashes sealed in his casket.

Eternal rest grant unto the soul of Joseph James Smith, Jr., oh Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul rest in peace. AMEN.