She was a Claremont legend
even before she began to write weekly in the Courier.
Not many septuagenarian newcomers to Claremont
make such a splash
possibly because there're already
so many impressive fish in the pond.

One lovely trait of Jo Smith
was that she was so human.
Anyone reading her column would learn that.

But she was equally charming in person.
Once she was my mother's writing partner
in the Joslyn writing class.
It pleased my mother mightily
To have Jo's friendship and interest in her work.

She urged my mother to write it down:

her hometown, Akeley Minnesota
each parent, Joe & Myrta Dahlquist
her siblings, Glenn, Mildred, Ralph & Clare
meeting my father, Ernest
her daughters, Elnora and me.

She got it done to give her two grandsons for Christmas 1985.

I feel much gratitude

to Claremont Adult School,
for having a writing class
to Jo Smith for her nurturing
and to Maryann Callahan for her teaching

Karen Chapman Lenz
April 1, 1996