Jean V. Smith

Smith, Jean V.
COLONIE - Jean V. Smith, 100 3/4 years old, of Colonie, passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family. Jean was the loving and devoted wife of 47 years to her late husband, Alfred "Al" E. Smith, who was the love of her life; the love that they shared was marveled by others. Jean always told her granddaughters that she hoped they found someone to love that was as good as their Papa. Jean is the daughter of the late Edward and Irene Scarff. Jean is survived by her sister, Renee Mullin; her daughter, Jeannie (Cholly) Smith; her three granddaughters, "her kids," Alison (David) Pingelski, Tami (Tim) Bell and Tara (Kevin) Anuszewski; her great-grandchildren, Joscelyn (Brent) Lecuyer, Anthony Bell, Samantha (Josh) Carlo, Jessica Pingelski and Kody Anuszewski; and her three great-great-grandchildren, Brantley and Baileigh Carlo and Eliza Lecuyer; her sister-in-law, Gladys; and many nieces and nephews.
When Jean was young she loved to dance. Jean, most well know as "Nana," loved being surrounded by her family and friends and was the life of the party. To know her was to love her. Jean would get up early every morning to make Al breakfast before he went to work and make sure she packed his lunch. Every afternoon, she did her hair and put on her "lippy" so she looked nice before Al came home. Jean and Al enjoyed vacationing with her sister/brother-in-law, Joan and Fran, and camping in Tupper Lake at Blue Jay with her brother/sister-in-law, Ray and Jean.
Jean enjoyed bowling, where she met her best friend, Harriett McDonnell. They would spend afternoon's playing cards, doing puzzles and enjoying each other's company, while eating triple chocolate bars or whatever baked goods Harriett brought. The McDonnell's, Cheryl and Mac continued to include Nana in their family functions after Harriett passed.
Nana loved spending time with her kids during the summer. Papa built a long picnic table so that the neighborhood kids could have a place to sit when they would come to play games like Chinese checkers, 500 or Michigan rummy. One time, Nana and Papa made breakfast outside but they said that we ate three times more so they joked we couldn't have breakfast on the patio anymore. At night, Nana and Papa would host "party" in the living room with cheese and crackers and chip and dip. Nana enjoyed visits with her great-grandkids and loved to go to Friendly's for over easy eggs, bacon and toast, lunch at Ralph's or Olive Garden and looked forward to the cookouts so she could have hotdogs with mustard, potato salad and an ice cold beer.
When she started getting older and wasn't able to live alone, Tami and Tony moved in with her. The family is grateful for the help of Esther, Arlye, Jasmine, Egypt and Kavona, who helped Tami take care of Nana in her home, where she wanted to live out her days.
Jean's funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Reilly & Son Funeral Home, Colonie, and followed by interment at Memory Gardens Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital District on their website at https://rmhcofalbany.org/donate/ or the Shaker Road Volunteer Fire Department Explorer Post 475, at 550 Albany Shaker Rd., Loudonville, N.Y. 12211.