JoAnn Pieper Smith

JoAnn Pieper Smith, age 87, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Friday, May 8, 2020, at Avera Sr. James Care Center in Yankton. Private family services will be 2:00 PM on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home with Reverend Larry Regynski officiating.   The funeral will be live streamed online on JoAnn’s obituary page at www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Yankton. Pallbearers are Kevin Schulz, Isaac Schulz, Luke Schulz, Jill Travnicek, Dan Pieper, and Bob Weisser.   Honorary pallbearers will be her ten grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren. JoAnn Pieper Smith was born May 20, 1932, to C. Leonard and Gladys (Christensen) Jensen. She was raised by her mother and step-father Alfred “Mike” Albrecht and attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and Yankton High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Al Pieper, on June 1, 1950 in Yankton.   JoAnn and Al were married for 58 years until Al died on June 2, 2008. JoAnn worked at J.C. Penny’s in Yankton for 31 years, first in the Men’s Department and lastly as manager of the Boy’s Department. She married George Smith on February 14, 2012, in Yankton. JoAnn was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church where she was active on the funeral committee as well as an usher. She was also a member of the Fire Ladies Auxiliary, Meals on Wheels, and Pinochle and Bridge Clubs. She enjoyed playing cards, socializing with friends, visiting over coffee and treasured time with her family. JoAnn was always a mother first, always watching out for her children and making sure she had something baked for them when they would visit. Left to cherish her memory are: her husband, George Smith of Yankton; four children: Wanda Mueller of Yankton; Linda (Loren) Knittel of Spearfish, South Dakota; Sandra Travnicek of Yankton and Mike (Laurie) Pieper of Yankton; 10 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; two brothers: Jerry Albrecht of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Dwayne (Susan) Jensen of Sioux City, Iowa; step children: Kathy (Bob) Weisser of Sioux Falls; Tony (Lori) Smith of Princeton, Minnesota; and Mike (Betty) Smith of Pierre, South Dakota; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Al Pieper; granddaughter, Keri Mueller; great granddaughter, Rachel Schulz; and son-in-law, Larry Travnicek.  

FUNERAL SERVICE:

[embed]https://youtu.be/gKfQMElCUIQ[/embed]    

VIDEO TRIBUTE: