Joan Van Voorhis

Joan Audrey Smith Van Voorhis, of Cary, NC, passed away on December 22, 2021 due to advanced vascular dementia.

Joan was born on May 4, 1935 to Raymond and Doris Smith, in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Pompton Lakes, NJ. After graduating from Pompton Lakes High School in 1952, she attended Westminster College in Pennsylvania and graduated with a degree in early childhood education.

In 1957 she married Peter Elmer Van Voorhis at Ponds Dutch Reformed Church in Oakland, NJ. Joan and Pete went on to have three daughters – Linda, Laura Beth and Sandra.

Joan enjoyed a lengthy career as a teacher in both New York and New Jersey, eventually retiring as a special education teacher from the New Brunswick, NJ school system. After retirement she continued to pursue her hobbies of sewing, gardening and teaching ELS. She will be remembered for her laugh, sense of humor, and love of traveling.

Joan was predeceased by her husband Peter in 2001. She is survived by her daughters Linda Van Voorhis Olson (Robert Olson), Laura Beth Larsen, and Sandra Karpman, son-in-law Randy Karpman and four beloved grandchildren: Cody Larsen, Daniel Olson, Samantha Larsen, and Annaliese Olson. A private funeral service will be held at Aiken Presbyterian Church in South Carolina.