SERVICES SET FOR CLAIRE SMITH OF JOSHUA TREE

Claire Smith, a 35-year resident of Joshua Tree, died October 25. She was 90 years old. Claire Smith was preceded in death by her husband, “the Wise and Sagacious” Bill Smith of Joshua Tree, son John Daigneault, and two sisters. She is survived by children Bill Smith Jr. of Texas, Priscilla Harrison of Joshua Tree, Gary Daigneault of Twentynine Palms, Cynthia Kraemer and Pam Fields of Yucca Valley, and a sister, Gail Watson in Massachusetts. She had 17 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.

The first female executive for the Raytheon Corporation, Claire Smith had a master’s in business administration and retired after serving as the financial aids director for the three-campus University of New Hampshire System. She also served as the president of the New Hampshire State Employees Association.

After moving to Joshua Tree, she published Hi-Desert Magazine for 10 years before retiring again. As the Homeowners Association President, she led the effort for funding the Panorama Heights fire station. Smith served for years with the Hi-Desert Medical Center Foundation and was instrumental in in setting up their nursing scholarship Program.

A celebration of life for Claire Smith will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 17, at Valley Community Chapel in Yucca Valley.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Copper Mountain College Foundation for the nursing program or Theatre 29 in the name of Claire Smith.