Jane (Conroy) Smith

Jane Conroy Smith passed away peacefully, holding her daughter Lisa's hand on October 28, 2021.

Jane lived a healthy, happy life, up until the last 9 months, when dementia took over her life. She was the matriarch of her family, always, at every family event that she could attend. Right up until last week, she attended her great grandchildren's events of football, soccer, and field hockey. She lived for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  They were the biggest love of her life!

Jane was born in North Newport to Guy and Helen Conroy. She attended school in North Newport, where her mother Helen taught school. She then attended Towle High School, graduating in the Class of 1948. She married her high school sweetheart, Roger Smith. Roger and Jane had 5 children that they raised together. That was Jane's greatest accomplishment, always being there for her children.

After her youngest daughter Lisa was in school, Jane worked at the Ben Franklin and Newport Hospital in the operating room. She worked at the hospital until it closed in 1990. She didn't stop working then; she started babysitting all the local children in Newport, including all of her own grandchildren and great grandchildren right up until the last year of her life. She knew this kept her young and healthy! She was known to have many nicknames by her family, and she answered to all of them: Gram, Grammy Jane, Jane C., Holy Jane, and yes, "the 'ol bat"! She loved hearing them all!

Jane was always ready for a venture with her family. At a moment's notice, she could be at a ballgame, a racetrack, a shopping adventure, animal auction, or just yardsaling.  She was always game as long as it was with her family.

Jane's cooking was out of this world! Using her mother's recipes, we all received her goodies all year long; pies, cookies, beef stew and dumplings, bread pudding, and the list goes on. She loved a good cookout at the family cottage on Rand Pond. That is where all the family shenanigans happened! Cookouts with Gram's deviled eggs, potato salad, and let's not forget her birthday cakes that she made for every family member's birthday. The cottage was her happy place. Jane and Roger bought the cottage in the 1960's, where they stayed every summer until the kids grew up. Jane enjoyed her rides to the cottage this past year that her grandson Chris would bring her on. Chris stopped by her house almost daily to make sure his Gram was safe and well.

Jane always had a room in her house for any family member that might need one. She knew they would always find their way home. She was the glue holding the family together. Her generation taught our family to work hard and play hard. We will continue her legacy and instill this into our children for many years to come.

We have had the greatest pleasure to share your love down here, now it's time to let you share your love with your boys in heaven.

Jane is predeceased by her parents, Guy and Helen Conroy, her brother Donald (Bud) Conroy, sisters Marylyn Beauchaine, Lucille Wood, and her loving sons, Craig Smith, Scott Smith, and Dean Smith. She leaves behind a brother, Rogers (Mickey) Conroy, her favorite eldest daughter Marleen Tellor (Herb), her favorite youngest daughter Lisa Fellows (Allen). Twelve grandchildren: Aaron Fellows, Chris Fellows, John Fellows, John Dean, Patrick Dean, Tom McQuaid, Henry Crislip, Lisa Harris, Craig Smith, Amanda Smith, Jenn Turner, and Kurt Smith. Great Grandmother to Lydia, Norah, Aaron, Taylor, Julian, Hanna and Owen Fellows, Dylan Bocash, Rayden, Declan, Jordan and Emily Dean, and many other children that called her Grammy Jane.

Anyone can send money to Newport Recreation Center for the wonderful things that P.J. Lovely does for our children of Newport!

Services will be held Saturday, November 6, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Newton-Bartlett Funeral Home at 42 Main Street, Newport, NH, followed by a burial at North Newport Cemetery. 

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