Isabelle Smissaert

April 7, 1929 – June 15, 2024

Isabelle Teresa Arnold Smissaert was born April 7, 1929, in New Braunfels, Texas. One of nine children of Helen and Elmo Arnold, Isabelle grew up as the middle child in a rambunctious, loving family. She and her older sister and best friend, Dorothy, received their degrees in nursing from the University of Texas at Austin. Isabelle and Dorothy worked as nurses in San Antonio until Isabelle was recruited by American Airlines, which at that time valued nursing experience almost as much as strictly enforced age, physique and marital-status criteria.

Isabelle subsequently followed her older sister to California and settled with her in San Francisco, where she continued flying for American Airlines until she began her long career as an operating-room nurse at Chinese Hospital. In addition to honing her nursing skills there, Isabelle developed a life-long love of Chinese culture and cuisine, including her favorite dish, char siu bao, which she delighted in sharing with others.
In 1960, she began dating her sister’s one-time suitor, John Smissaert, and they married in 1961. In 1970, seeking adventure and a change of scenery, Isabelle and John along with their 4-year-old daughter, Laura, moved to Victoria, British Columbia. Missing their beloved City by the Bay, they returned there after less than a year away and made their home in Tiburon, California.

In addition to her professional career in nursing, Isabelle indulged John’s never-ending interest in trains by accompanying him on countless rail adventures and volunteering with him at the Railroad & Ferry Depot Museum in Tiburon. John lovingly referred to Isabelle as “The Great Mechanic,” such were her skills with repairing almost anything.

Isabelle was also a gifted seamstress whose aptitude was tested by having to whip up the occasional genie costume or flapper dress for Laura, usually at the eleventh hour. She and John were also life-long and avid tennis players whose regular mixed-doubles matches with their friends on the courts in Tiburon brought them enormous pleasure.

In 2008, Isabelle and John relocated to Pacific Palisades to be closer to Laura, her husband, Tim, and their growing family. Isabelle took great joy in participating in the lives of her grandsons, Luke and Jack, and never missed their school performances or athletic competitions. Just as importantly, she was always “in” for her grandsons’ impromptu poker games at the kitchen table. Isabelle also enjoyed traveling with her daughter and family, with her favorite destination being the Island of Kauai where she would romp with her grandsons on Mahaulepu Beach and teach them the finer points of hula dancing.

Isabelle moved in with Laura, Tim, Luke and Jack after John passed away in 2015. To celebrate her 90th birthday, she enjoyed a grand tour of Europe with Laura, visiting Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. But for Isabelle, visiting world capitals and exotic destinations was not a prerequisite for having a good time. Among Laura’s cherished memories is the way that Isabelle could turn a humdrum local errand into an entire day filled with laughter.

Though she had been long retired from nursing, Isabelle continued to be the go-to resource for medical information and a constant caregiver for her family and friends. She died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on June 15 at age 95. Isabelle’s loving presence, unending patience and resolute good nature will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Contributions in Isabelle’s memory are suggested to the Belvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society, 1550 Tiburon Boulevard, Suite M, Tiburon, CA 94920 or online at landmarkssociety.com.

Isabelle’s favorite poem was by the Sanskrit author Kalidasa. She kept a yellowed clipping on a bulletin board in her kitchen that read:

Look to this Day,
for it is Life …
… For yesterday is already a dream
and tomorrow is only a vision;
but today, well-lived,
makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope…