GALVESTON — People laughed and some cried as Gov. Mitch Daniels stood inside a Galveston church Sunday and remembered the life of a woman he called his friend.

“When I think of Joyce now, which will be often, I will have on my happy face,” Daniels told the group gathered to celebrate the life of Joyce Ann Smith.

Smith, a political activist for the Republican Party, passed away in March at age 64.

“There’s a time to mourn, and there’s a time to dance,” said her husband, Ed Smith. “Today is a celebration, so we’re going to dance.”

Even as he said the words, he choked back tears.

He said if he had to choose a word to describe his wife, it would be “impact.”

“She was a natural-born leader,” Ed Smith said. “She rose to the top in whatever she did.”

Daniels said few people have had as great an impact on the state of Indiana as Joyce did.

She was a former chairwoman of the Indiana Federation of Republican Women and also was elected first vice president of the National Federation of Republican Women.

Former State Sen. Tom Weatherwax said he believed Joyce was in line to become the next chairwoman of the organization. “It was a goal and dream she had,” he said.

As Daniels reminisced about Joyce, he talked about how positive and uplifting she was. She supported Daniels during his campaign for governor and wanted him to seek the office before he even wanted it for himself, he said. Daniels called her the “chief instigator” behind the campaign.

“She pestered me and encouraged me and sent others to do the same,” Daniels said.

Sue Lynch, president of the National Federation of Republican Women, said Joyce talked endlessly about Daniels’ gubernatorial campaign. Lynch said her friend had a special fondness for him.

Lynch looked to Daniels Sunday and said, “She talked from her heart about you. She loved you. You were a leader she could look up to.”

Joyce even dressed up as a green M and M for one of Daniels’ campaign events, Lynch said.

People laughed as Lynch retold the story Sunday.

“There is this beautiful, lovely woman dressed as a green M and M,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘Man, she’s got to love him.’”

Joyce was known for her costumes, said Eric Holcomb, executive director of the Indiana Republican Party.

“She had more creative costumes than a rock star,” he told those gathered Sunday. “That’s what she was for our party — a rock star.”

Holcomb said she showed young Republicans they could have fun and still make a difference.

“Joyce was an equation-changer,” he said.

Everyone who came forward to speak Sunday told of Joyce’s kindness and compassion for others, even as she was battling cancer.

“She followed her heart to the finish line,” Daniels said.

Her stepson, Michael Smith, fought back tears Sunday as he talked about the last conversation he had with Joyce. He said he was holding her hand as he asked her how he was going to move forward and what he should do.

“She said, “Just love one another and take care of that family of yours,’” Michael Smith said. “Even in her last days, she was as selfless as ever.”

Her son, David Clark, said his mom is probably up in Heaven helping others like she did on earth.

“If I know my mom, she’s probably up there organizing some kind of movement,” Clark said.

Weatherwax agreed.

“I bet God is smiling right now and watching how Joyce is organizing the workers and their staffs and thanking everyone who is helping,” Weatherwax said.

The former senator said many people will miss Joyce.

“But we are so thankful that we had you here with us as long as we did,” he said.

Ed Smith cried as told everyone how thankful he was for his wife.

“I was the luckiest one of all,” he said. “I love you, Joyce.”

• Lindsey Ziliak is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or lindsey.ziliak@pharostribune.com.