In Memoriam

John Francis ‘Jack’ Smith
1930-2026

COOPERSTOWN—On the morning of St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2026, John Francis “Jack” Smith peacefully passed into eternal rest at his Pine Boulevard home. His beloved wife, Gayle, and family were at his side. He was 95.

Born August 29, 1930 at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey, Jack was the fifth of nine children of Arthur James and Abbie Ellen (Ogden) Smith. Growing up in a large, close-knit family was a great influence on his life and honed the quick wit and sense of humor that he was known for throughout his long life. His sense of duty to family was also strongly forged at a young age. In 1953, tragedy struck and Jack became guardian of his three teenage sisters while he was on military deferment to attend college.

After graduating from Fordham University with a BS in labor management, Jack worked for Hills Bros. as a coffee buyer, thus starting his life of travel that would lead him and his young family to Canajoharie, and eventually, Cooperstown, New York.

On September 28, 1968, Jack married Gayle, and they came to live, with their children, on Nelson Avenue in Cooperstown. After a brief stint in Highlands, New Jersey, they returned to Cooperstown in 1973 and settled at their home on Pine Boulevard. From there, Jack spent many years as plant manager in the gum and candy division of Beech-Nut and retired in 1987, having risen to vice president of operation for Planters-LifeSavers. It became apparent that he was not yet ready for full-time golf and so ran his own consulting firm until retiring, again, in 1993. It is sometimes reported that he was the maintenance man at Overlook Bed & Breakfast, but those claims can neither be confirmed nor denied.

An avid golfer, Jack enjoyed playing at the Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown. Some of his favorite foursomes throughout the years included, among many, Paul Lambert, Ted Trossett, Howie Ryan, Frank Maloney, and Fr. John Sise. Somewhere over the years—between rounds on all 19 holes—he found time to serve as president of the Canajoharie Golf Course and chairman of the Greens Committee at Leatherstocking. He was also an avid reader and a master of crossword puzzles—pastimes carried on by his family. And he was a sports fan. He fondly, and often, recalled playing ice hockey at Madison Square Garden and was known to wager a coin or two on football games with Duke Mayhew and other friends.

Jack was a member and past president of The Mohican Club, a member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 579, and member and past president of The Fort Rensselaer Club in Canajoharie.

Jack and Gayle could often be found enjoying meals around town as well as having fun times at the Cooperstown Veterans’ Club. In recent times, they also enjoyed daily drives together through the surrounding countryside, and on the afternoon of his passing they took one final ride around Otsego Lake together.

Jack is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Gayle, of Cooperstown; children—Abbie, Amy, Emily, Sean, Norton (Kimberly Batarse) and Veronica (and Jeffrey Harris); 11 grandchildren—Philip, Ellen, Scott (Sonya), Whitney, Allyson, Zachary, Riley, Madison, Ryan, Natalka, and James; five great-grandchildren—Evelyn and Maximillian, Lucille, and Cora and Sullivan; his dear sister, Vera Quigley of Cooperstown; and many, many cherished nieces and nephews. He is further survived by in-laws, Gary (Helen) Shults of Canajoharie, Manly (Karen) Shults of Delhi, Sondra Failing of Fort Plain, and their families.

In addition to his parents, Jack was predeceased by one son, Jeffrey; siblings and their spouses: Arthur (Sue), Norton (Joan), Warren (Marguerite), James (Viola), Robert (Dottie), Mary Buckley (David), and Madeline Moss (Al); and brother-in-law Robert Quigley.

• Calling Hours: Tuesday, March 24, 4-6 p.m., Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street
• Mass of Christian Burial: Wednesday, March 25, 11 a.m., St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street
• The family invites you to join them for refreshments and a celebration of Jack’s life following mass in the Parish Center
• Service of Committal will take place this summer, date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial donations may be directed to Helios Care https://helioscare.org/donate/ or Sons of the American Legion, Post 579.