Joanna Frances Smith was wife to Benjamin Frank Crissman, mother of Helen Jo, Willard and Maymie Rebecca Katherine ( our Grandma Sally) Grandmother Crissman is pictured here on the back right side ( in glasses) and daughters Helen and Sally are front and center. Back left is Mary Rebecca Riley Smith ( mother of Joanna Frances)

Joanna Frances Smith was born October 24, 1868 near Owenton, Kentucky, and died June 24, 1934 in Kansas City, MO. These dates express the brief expanse of her life, but no tongue nor pen could ever express the beauty, the love, and the service of that life.
On June 28, 1893 she married B. Frank Crissman and from this union three children were born: Helen, Willard, and Maymie all of whom survive her.
Mrs. Crissman began her Christian life in childhood, and a few day before she went to her eternal reward she said, “I am not afraid to die; I have loved God ever since I was a little girl”.
She was educated at the State Teachers’ College at Warrensburg, and at Park College in Parkville.
She was absolutely and wholly devoted to her family, her church, and Christ. During the 41 Years which she graced the Methodist parsonage like the queen that she was her whole life was given to the church so completely that she too could have said, “The zeal of thine house has eaten me up”. She was most active in every department of church work. In her Sunday School classes several young men were led to Christ and into the ministry of this Conference. She was aflame with the missionary spirit. Mrs. Crissman held many of the important offices of the W.F.M.S. in the local, conference and national organization.
She was a great lover. She almost worshipped her family. She loved the people of all the churches she served. She sought out the strangers and those least socially inclined, and loved them in such a way that they loved her Lord. She loved the preachers. To her “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! No one ever heard her utter a disparaging word about any of Christ’s ministers. How she loved the preachers’ wives! It was no accident that she was chosen president of the Conference Preachers’ Wives organization, and it is no disparagement to others that she was often spoken of as the best loved woman in Conference. 

Willard Crissman with his mother Joanna Frances Smith Crissman.