Juanita Grace Smith, 93, of O’Fallon, IL passed away Saturday, January 13, 2024 surrounded by her family. She was born October 12, 1930 in East St. Louis to Walter and Sylvia (Sherman) Dayton. She married the love of her life, Charles Smith, on May 28, 1949 at First Baptist Church in East St. Louis. Juanita had a passion for music. Her singing captivated others all over the East St. Louis area whether she was singing at church or for a wedding. Beyond her love for music, Juanita was also an avid reader. She had a deep love for her family and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Survivors left to cherish her memory include her children, Sue (John) Smith, Lorraine Dillier, Deborah Smith (Greg Giger), Larry Smith, Amy Smith (Kevin Karschney) and special daughter, Donna White; 9 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; sister, Sharon (Woodrow) Stewart. Juanita was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Sylvia Dayton; husband, Charles Smith; daughter, Charlene (David) Wachter and brother, John Edward Dayton.
A visitation service for Juanita will be held on Friday, January 19, 2024 from 11:00am to 1:00pm in Lake View Funeral Home, 5000 N. Illinois St. Fairview Heights, IL 62208 with a time of sharing at 1:00pm. Interment in Lake View Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
