Sharon Louise Smith

Sharon Louise Smith, 65, of Princeton, Illinois, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, following a fall and after a courageous decades-long battle with breast cancer.

Sharon was born on March 25, 1961, in New Lenox, IL the daughter of Alvin and Lillian (Papez) Johnson. She graduated with the Class of 1977 from Lincoln-Way High School and went on to earn her RN degree from Joliet Junior College in Joliet. Sharon dedicated many years to nursing and worked in Care Management at Perry Memorial Hospital until her retirement in 2018.

On January 30, 2004, Sharon married David Smith in Key West. Together, they built a wonderful life filled with travel and adventure, exploring destinations such as New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Alaska, and Iceland. Their favorite place of all was the Lake House in Wisconsin, where they created many cherished memories together. Sharon also enjoyed tackling home improvement projects and was a proud member of the Farm Bureau. Above all else, she treasured her family and loved spending time with them.

Sharon is survived by her husband, David Smith of Princeton; two sons, Joe (Melanie Murray) Jandura of La Moille, IL and Jim (LeeAnna Henderliter) Jandura of Princeton; two step-children, Holly (Joe) Passi of Chicago and Adam Smith of Peru, IL; four grandchildren, Ben, Landon and Dane Jandura and Carrigan Crouch.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sons, Justin and Jeremy Jandura and one granddaughter.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm -7:00 pm on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Grant-Johnson Funeral Home in Princeton. A Graveside Service will be at 11:00 am on Friday, May 15, 2026 at Prairie Repose Cemetery in Dover, IL with Deacon John Murphy officiating. Burial will immediately follow.

Memorials may be directed to The Perfectly Flawed Foundation in LaSalle, IL or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.