Joan Marie "Joie" Rohrbach, 87, of Tiffin, passed away Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at St. Francis Nursing Home, Tiffin.
Joan was born Nov. 3, 1924, in Tiffin, to Nevin and Clara "Gum" (Reinman) Platt. She graduated from Calvert High School in 1942 and received her RN diploma from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, Dayton, in 1945. Joan served in the Army Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II before her marriage to Richard C. Rohrbach in 1947. They later divorced, and in 1965, she married William R. "Bill" Smith, also of Tiffin.
Joan worked at Mercy Tiffin Hospital and retired from Tiffin State Hospital in 1980 after 20 years of service. She was an avid reader, an adventurous cook and an amateur bird watcher, having taken classes at Heidelberg College. Joan had a great talent for writing poetry, played piano and ukulele, loved music and singing, loved animals and always had a cat. Joan gave to various charities and was known for her colorful outfits with matching jewelry. She belonged to St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tiffin, Calvert Alumni and the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumni.
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Joan was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Tommy and David Rohrbach; sister and brother-in-law, Mary Jean (Charles) Long; sister, Betty Shumway; and a brother, N. James Platt.
Joan is survived by six sons, Steve (Cynthia) Rohrbach of Summertown, Tenn.; John (Holly) Rohrbach of Yuba City, Calif.; Matthew Rohrbach of Willard; Mark Rohrbach of Boise, Idaho; Andy Rohrbach of Nashville, Tenn.; and Christopher Smith of Tiffin; three daughters, Janis (Bill) Pohlman of Dayton; Marian Rohrbach of Willard; and Sharon J. Rohrbach of Tiffin; 15 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the staff of St. Francis Home and Community Hospice for the compassionate care of our mother.
Her Mass of Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2012, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tiffin with the Rev. Joseph Szybka officiating. The rosary will be prayed 20 minutes prior to the Mass. Burial will follow at the parish cemetery.
Visitation for family and friends will be 9-10:30 a.m. Monday at Engle-Shook Funeral Home and Crematory, 135 N. Washington St., Tiffin, OH 44883, (419) 447-1221.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Rita School for the Deaf, Cincinnati at www.srsdeaf.com or to the American Alzheimer's Association.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.engleshookfuneralhome.com.
