Joanne E. Luce Smith, 79, of Richard Way, East Haven, died May 29 at Yale-New Haven Hospital.  She was the wife of the late George H. Smith. She was born in Searsmont, Maine, on March 3, 1932, daughter of the late Charles H. and Katherine White Luce.  A 1950 graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, Joanne had been a member of the high school’s women’s championship basketball team. She had worked for Dow Covers for many years. She also enjoyed crossword puzzles and was an avid bingo player. 

She is survived by two daughters, Kathryn J. Smith and her husband Allan Abate of East Haven and Kristine Montesanto and her husband George, Jr., also of East Haven.  She was the grandmother of Richard J. Bryan and his wife Melissa Hensley, Amanda Cicarella and her fiancé John Lovig, April Cicarella, and Jennifer Montesanto.  She is also survived by her sister, Katherine Cifarelli and her husband Noah, Sr. of East Haven; her sister-in-law, Alice Stone; and her beloved lifelong friend, Beverly Tullock. She was predeceased by two sisters, Evelyn Caird and Ola Sloot, and two brothers Frank and Paul Luce.

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Her funeral procession will leave the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Ave., North Haven, on Saturday, June 4, at 9 a.m.  A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Pompeii Church at 9:30 a.m., followed by burial in Northford Cemetery.  Visiting hours will be Friday, June 3, from 5 to 8 p.m.  www.northfuneral.com