Jean L. (Littlefield) Smith

Jean Lois Smith (Littlefield) passed away on Thursday, November 2, 2023.  At the time of her death, she was under hospice care for pancreatic cancer.  She was born October 8, 1947 and attended Wells High School, class of 1965.  Jean attended the University of Maine attaining her BS in Nursing. She reunited with her high school sweetheart Jay Smith of Ogunquit, a Navy lieutenant, while working at Children's Hospital  in Boston and were married July 4, 1970.  This was the beginning of a journey together that lasted 53 years including 20 with the Navy all over the East Coast and Bermuda. In her 50s she went back to school to obtain her Masters in Nursing. Locally, she worked at York Hospital and then  in a private practice. As a no-nonsense nurse, she was fair but firm with her patients which earned her the undeserved moniker of “Mean Jean”.  But her coworkers praised her for her professionalism and great mentorship skills.

Jean loved to serve in her local community in many ways: She was a hospice volunteer, a camp nurse, founded a local breast cancer support group, raised money for cancer research, knit catnip mice for a local animal shelter and sewed thousands of COVID masks for medical workers.  A dedicated Christian, she spent many years teaching the Bible to children and adults.

Jean loved to serve both locally and globally in many ways. However, she best lived out her faith by combining her love of nursing with her love of the Lord.  She joined a consortium of Doctors and Nurses and took part in fifteen medical mission trips to South America.  She particularly supported Dominican Republic along side Ina York by teaching local women skills in sewing and crafting to support their families.  For 30 years Jean and Jay hosted furloughed missionaries and tired New England pastors in the studio cottage adjacent to their home at Perkins Cove.

Jean had a very creative and artistic side. She was known for her lovely soprano voice. She was gifted in sewing, crafting, knitting, and in her later years, quilting. She spoiled her three granddaughters with home made dresses, hats and costumes. She had a green thumb and her gardens were bursting full of vegetables, berries, flowers, and roses. Her edibles often got picked and never made it to the kitchen. She was also an excellent cook and baker.

In lieu of flowers please consider supporting one of Jean’s passions with a donation to:  Shepherds Staff Mission Facilitators Inc, Attn: Ina York – Dominican Rep., 6739 Academy Rd., Suite 320, Albuquerque, NM 87109. 

Jean is survived by her husband Jay, daughter Courtney, and daughter Jennifer Solomon and husband Wayne and their three children, Gracie, Eva, and Emma; sister-in-law Madelene Nowell and her son Dan and daughter Lydia; sister-in-law Valerie Littlefield and her son Russell, daughter Hayley and son Kyle and wife Sarah; brother-in-law LeCain Smith and his partner Sheila Moir.   

A memorial service is being planned for 11am on Dec 30 at Seacoast Community Church, 397 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth NH. 

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