Jackson Wyman Smart III

1961 - 2021

Jackson Wyman Smart III, 60, passed away Tuesday, June 8, 2021 in Hammond, Louisiana. He was most recently a resident of Boca Raton, Florida. Born in Evanston, Illinois in 1961, Jack made the world brighter with his gregarious smile, hearty handshake, and technicolor clothing. He was known to rock a madras plaid. He will be remembered for his big stature, tremendous kindness, and booming voice. Jack was a true character who stood out in an increasingly homogeneous world. He brought his unique, irrepressible incandescence everywhere he went.

In addition to Winnetka, Illinois, Jack spent his childhood in Birmingham, Michigan and Princeton, New Jersey. He graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1979 and went on to the University of Michigan. In his youth, Jack was a beloved camper and counselor at Camp Highlands. His campers fondly remember his many lessons, including portaging canoes, foraging for food, and cooking over a flint-sparked homemade campfire. He also climbed Mount Rainier in Washington and The Grand Teton in Wyoming.

Following his time at the University of Michigan, Jack lived in Chicago, Illinois and then Saint Paul, Minnesota. There, he worked as a commodities trader where he traded wheat and held two seats on the Minneapolis grain exchange.

Jack was a great lover of sports-especially tennis. Impressively, he was an ambidextrous player. He once injured his right arm, but was able to play left-handed with equal dexterity-much to the shock of his opponents. Jack also donated tennis courts to Florida Atlantic University in honor of his late sister, Alison.

He took great pride in the collegiate swimming and tennis careers of his cousins once removed, who affectionately referred to themselves as "Uncle Jack's Band." Jack made time to visit their Universities to cheer them on in their athletic endeavors. They also have great childhood memories of "Uncle" Jack launching them into the pool or organizing an impromptu football game.

When his girlfriend, Tammy Hobbs, had surgery for a fractured leg following an injury, Jack proved to be a formidable cheerleader and coach seeing her through six months of arduous recovery. Jack was admired by family and friends-three of those friends named sons after him, two of which were also his godchildren.

Jack is survived by his mother, Suzanne Tobey Smart, girlfriend Tammy Hobbs, many cousins, and a large extended family. He was predeceased by his father, Jackson Wyman Smart, Jr. and sister, Alison Tobey Smart. Donations in honor of Jack can be made to the Alison Tobey Smart Memorial Fund at Kenilworth Union Church.