A. Jean Smith, 89, of Westport Island, died peacefully May 22 at Bay Square Assisted Living in Yarmouth. Born in Limestone in 1917 to Eva (Ward) and Glenn R. Cheney, Jean grew up primarily in Washburn. Following high school graduation, she pursued her dream of becoming a registered nurse by training and later working at Boston Children’s Hospital. While in Boston, she met John L. Smith, Jr., whom she married in Nov. 1940. Together they raised four children in Westwood, Mass. before retiring in 1971 to their home on Westport Island where they had summered since 1947.
Jean was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother as well as an avid gardener and tireless volunteer. While living in Westwood, she volunteered many hours with developmentally challenged children at the Wrentham State School. Once in Maine, she volunteer within the community at the Head Start Program, several Red Cross Blood Drives, and within her church, The First Congregational Church UCC Wiscasset as chairman of the Church World Service for over 20 years, and as an active member of the Organ Society. Jean enjoyed her interest in gardening as a member of the Wiscasset Garden Club as well as at home raising vast amounts of wonderful fresh vegetables, much of which she loved to give away, and an abundance of flowers, some which she converted to pot pourri, others to dried flower basket arrangements for the church fair. She loved her church and the richness it brought to her life through activities and the many dear friends she made there.
As much as Jean loved nature and living on the island with its beautiful views, she would drop everything to venture forth with friends. Old and new, friends were important to Jean; she made many and she kept them. She treasured the friends from the many years living in Massachusetts, and the many dear friends on Westport Island and in Wiscasset without whom she could never have lived there relatively independently until 2001; and the many wonderful new friends and staff at Bay Square who brought much caring and joy during the last five years of her life.
In addition to being a hard worker, Jean had a great sense of humor and a passion for life; “I don’t want to miss anything!” was a frequent refrain. She passed that passion on to her children and grandchildren. She was a resilient and courageous person in the most meaningful sense; no matter the many challenges that life visited upon her, she persisted in going forward and adapting to the necessary changes.
Jean was predeceased by husband, John, in 1984; son, John Lloyd “Spike” Smith, III, in 1992; and two sisters, Mary Eurenius and Winnifred Gellerson.
Jean is survived by three daughters, Sarah S. Nason and husband Waldon Nason of Everett, Mass., Constance M. Ostis and husband Harry Ostis of Yarmouth and their three children, Jay, Nathan, and Lauren, and Jennifer E. Bakes and husband, Christos Bakes of Norwalk, Conn. and their three daughters, Nicole, Kathryn, and Annette; her son’s wife, Karen Smith and their children, Michael Smith and wife, Benoite, and Kristin Doles and husband David and their two children, Caleb and Elise; nieces, Ruth Eurenius, Judy Gellerson, and Mariette Ivey; and nephews, Stephen Eurenius, John Coble, and Glenn Coble.
Arrangements are entrusted to Mayo and Daigle Funeral Home, Wiscasset.
Memorial service 10 a.m., Thurs., May 25 at The First Congregational Church UCC Wiscasset. While flowers are welcome, Jean’s memory would be equally honored by donations to Habitat for Humanity, the Heifer Project, or The First Congregational Church UCC Wiscasset.
