VALE Joy Smith

It is with broken hearts and overwhelming grief that we share the news of the passing of Joy Smith – one of the most prominent figures in Calisthenics Victoria’s history.

Joy passed away on Thursday 14th February 2019 surrounded by her devoted family after suffering a major heart condition two weeks earlier. Joy fought a strong and hard battle to recover, but it was not to be.

As a past and long serving President and Committee of Management member of Calisthenics Victoria, a past and long serving Manager of the Victorian State Team, a past delegate to the ACF for Victoria for many years, a past Club owner, coach, performer, calisthenics parent and grandparent, and volunteer across every area of our sport over many, many years, Joy is a person that we all know, love and hold the deepest respect for. She was a great friend to so many.

This news will bring sadness to our community and to many individuals who have shared moments, journey’s and even lifetimes with Joy. Over the coming weeks and months, we look forward to hearing and capturing the stories of those memories and in identifying the best ways we can celebrate Joy’s life and the many gifts that Joy leaves with our sport.

Joy will be forever remembered for those gifts; the integrity and dignity she exuded that we shall strive to uphold, her unwavering passion for our sport, and her compassion and strength that will be forever synonymous with her name, and fondly recalled in each of your stories.

The Victorian Calisthenics community, and indeed that of the entire Australian calisthenics’ community, sends our heartfelt love and deepest condolences to Don, Kellie, Kate, Natalie, Danielle and families. We know that she left you those same gifts and more.
When a true champion of a community is no longer, that community is not less, it is stronger.

Rest peacefully Joy.