On Monday, August 22, 2022, Joy Gene Braverman-Smith, loving wife, mother of four children, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend peacefully passed away at the age of 76 in Burnsville, North Carolina. Joy was born on October 23, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York to Irving and Harriet (Levine) Braverman and had one older brother, Robert.
Joy had two sons, Jason and Lyle, from her first marriage with Barry Schwartz in 1966, and later had two daughters, Dawn and Kim, from her second marriage with Robert “Bob” Hayward in 1970. After her divorce with Bob in 1996, Joy met her husband Bruce, and the two would later marry in 2011. They shared no human children but had many four-legged children throughout the years, Moof, Sebastian, Kalie, Skyler, and Sammie.
Through Joy’s love of education and learning, she had many careers and passions throughout her life. She was a talented artist and writer owning part of an art gallery, “Creations of Joy” in West Jefferson, North Carolina where she resided later in life, had a love for the spiritual and metaphysical world owning a shop related to these passions earlier in her life in West Palm Beach, Florida where she lived for many years, was a self-proclaimed spiritual medium, certified forensic hypnotist, and ghost-hunter, an ordained minister, and even had a career as a clown called Flowers. Joy loved all “critters,” tending to her plants, bowling, dancing, singing, and collecting all kinds of antiques, as well as dust.
Joy will always be remembered for her quick wit, her infectious smile, and her kind and compassionate spirit. She made a connection with every person she met in her life, whether they were a stranger or not, and she will be severely missed by all who knew her and loved her. If she had one wish in life to share with the world, it would be to always spread joy!
Joy is survived by her husband, Bruce Smith; children, Lyle Hayward, Dawn Hayward, and Kim (Amber) Hayward; grandchildren, Jayson (Lisa) Schwartz, Johnathon (Samantha) Schwartz, Mikhael Schwartz, Mika-Lynn (Tylor) Schwartz, Kyle (Sierra) Schwartz, Gina Page, Michael Raines, and Alysa (Josh) Tiller; sister and brother-in-law, Linda (Arnold) May; nephews, Erik and Greg Braverman; and several great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Irving and Harriet Braverman; brother, Robert Braverman; mother and father-in-law, Willine and Bill Smith; ex-husband, Bob Hayward; children, Jason and Lynn Schwartz.
