Velma "Janie" Jane Smith

Velma Jane “Janie” Weinell Smith, age 86, passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 7, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.

Janie was born on July 8, 1939, in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, to Phoebe Cline Weinell and Fred Oscar Weinell. From an early age, she was independent, determined, creative, and never afraid to take on a challenge - qualities that stayed with her throughout her life.

She attended Florida State University and married Norman J. Smith in 1959. During Norman’s service in the United States Army, they lived in Büdingen, Germany, where they enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and making memories that Janie loved sharing for the rest of her life.

Family was always at the center of Janie’s world. She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Charles C. Smith; her parents; and her siblings, Ray Weinell, Lila Weinell Wallace, Gayle Weinell, and Wade Weinell. She is survived by her daughter, Dreanna Belden and her husband, Ted Belden; her son, Norm J. “Joe” Smith and his wife, Elizabeth Smith; her grandchildren, Taylor K. Smith and his wife Megan Smith, Sarah Jane Belden, Hunter A. Smith, and Carsten E. Smith; and her great-grandchild, Denver Smith. She leaves behind a family who will always cherish her love, wisdom, and humor.

After spending fourteen years raising her children, Janie began a successful career in property management. She earned her Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation through Southern Methodist University and spent fourteen years managing commercial real estate, including office buildings, shopping centers, apartment complexes, and storage facilities. Later, she owned and operated a consignment store for nine years, a job she often said was the most fun and fulfilling work she ever did.

Janie was a talented writer and storyteller. Over her lifetime, she wrote hundreds of poems and documented more than eighty family stories about her childhood, her parents and grandmother, her early marriage, her travels in Europe, and her professional life. These stories and poems have become a treasured gift to her family and will be printed and shared in the coming year.

Anyone who knew Janie remembers her wonderful sense of humor. She loved to laugh, tell a good story, and could never pass up an opportunity for a clever pun. Her quick wit and playful spirit brightened family gatherings and everyday conversations alike. She had a way of making people smile and reminding them not to take life too seriously.

Janie was famous among family and friends for her "can-do" attitude. If something needed to be built, repaired, sewn, painted, or figured out, she was convinced she could do it herself, and usually did. She made clothes for herself and her family and even created an entire wardrobe for her daughter’s dolls. She loved trying new recipes and sharing homemade meals and baked treats with family and friends.

When the family bought a 95-year-old home in St. Petersburg, Florida, Janie sewed full-length curtains and sheers for all forty-eight windows herself. Not long afterward, the family moved to North Carolina and bought a new four-bedroom home on nearly an acre of land, where she found herself making window treatments all over again.

Long before YouTube tutorials and home-improvement websites, Janie taught herself how to tile a shower, and the results were so beautiful that she went on to retile the foyer as well. When the base of a two-story Doric column on the family’s colonial-style home rotted away, she recreated it with her carpentry skills so perfectly that no one could tell it wasn't original.

Janie's life was marked by perseverance, creativity, faith, and a belief that there was always a way to learn something new. She approached challenges with confidence, embraced opportunities with enthusiasm, and inspired those around her through her kindness, determination, and generosity. The stories she told, the things she created, and the love she shared will continue to live on through her family for generations to come.

The family will hold a small private memorial service to celebrate Janie's life and share memories with those closest to her.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Janie's memory to one of her favorite charities: Wounded Warrior Project, Heifer International, or Scottish Rite for Children of Dallas. Supporting these organizations would be a fitting tribute to her compassionate heart and lifelong desire to help others.

Janie will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever a part of the stories her family tells.