Joanna Babcock Smith, 88, of Rexford (Town of Clifton Park), beloved wife of the late John Norris Smith, peacefully entered into eternal life on Friday, December 5, 2025 at Saratoga Hospital in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Known as Jo to her family and friends, she was born in Buffalo, NY; the daughter of the late Edward Carlton Babcock and the late Florence Evelyn Engdahl Babcock. 

After attending Falconer Central Schools in Western NY as a child, where she was active in Swimming and Basketball Programs, Jo moved to Schenectady, NY with mom Florence and sisters Jackie and Laurie, where Jo was a graduate of Mont Pleasant High School. She earned her Bachelors in Business Education with a minor in Accounting at SUNY Albany in 1960 (followed later by a Master’s Degree from SUNY Albany, Advanced Classroom Teaching in Business Education, 1979).

Joanna was married to David Joseph Fotheringham in 1958 David passed in 1986.

Joanna began her professional career as a teacher at Hunter-Tannersville Central School in 1960, where she remained until 1963. She then moved to Albany Business College as an instructor from 1964 to 1966, Russell Sage College from 1966 to 1967, then Business Teacher at Waterford-Halfmoon H.S. from 1970 to 1976. She returned to Albany Business College (later Bryant & Stratton Business Institute) as a Professor and Secretarial Department Chairperson in 1976 through 1990. During her tenure at Albany Business College & Bryant & Stratton Business Institute Joanna often spoke utilizing her knowledge and experience in Education at seminars across NY State. In 1990 she moved to Visiting Nurses Service Association of Schenectady, NY where she remained until 2001 when she took a position with the Northeastern Association of the Blind and then Jewish Guild for the Blind before retiring. After some time spent relaxing and traveling, Mrs. Smith was most recently employed by the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library in Clifton Park as a Circulation Clerk from January 2007 to April 2022.

In 1988 Joanna married John Norris Smith and remained happily married until his passing in January 2020.

Through the years, Joanna also donated her time to many area organizations, including Blood Drives for the Saratoga County Chapter of the American National Red Cross, the Vischer Ferry Fire Auxiliary, Cornell Cooperative Extension - Saratoga County 4-H (Volunteer leader from 1975 to 1982), The Vischer Ferry Association, and the Saratoga County Board of Elections, among many others.

Joanna’s hobbies included gardening, reading and travel. Frequent traveling companions were her husband John and/or her sister Jackie, and included many sites around NY and the Northeast, as well as Portland OR, Arizona, the Grand Canyon, Ireland and Israel. She enjoyed reading mysteries, and especially loved TV shows like Murder, She Wrote, Downton Abbey and Blue Bloods. She was a dedicated viewer of PBS programs like Rick Steve's Europe and Antiques Roadshow. She got many of her gardening ideas from shows she watched on PBS. She regularly attended and supported Clifton Park historical events and activities led by Town Historian John Scherer. She had been an active member of two book clubs, The Amity Book Club of Vischer Ferry and the Daytime Book Club at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library.

Devoted mother of Keith Fotheringham and Kim Fotheringham (Joy Tubbs), loving sister of Jacqueline B. Doane (late, Harry) and the late Laurien B. Fan (late, John), also survived by several nieces and nephews, including Sean Ward, Shannon Vinehout, Tim Doane (Kristen), Chris Doane (Carol), Eugene Doane (Sandra), Elizabeth Redmond (Jason), and their children and grandchildren. 

Relatives and friends are invited to the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home, 1550 RT-9, Clifton Park, NY 12065 on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. where at 3:00 p.m. a Funeral Service will be celebrated by Pastor Tim Flynn of the Amity Reformed Church in Vischer Ferry.

Spring Internment will be held in the Vischer Ferry Cemetery.

Joanna’s family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to her friends and associates throughout the years for their love and support.

Those desiring, may make memorial contributions to the Clifton Park - Halfmoon Public Library (https://cphlibrary.org/volunteer-donate/) in memory of Joanna B. Smith.

Please feel free to offer your on-line Condolences and view the Memorial Video by using those tabs on this page.