HOULTON – Jack’s Journey- One man’s incredible life story on this earth came to an end just 11 days before his 98th birthday, on March 16, 2023.

Jack David Smart was born in Houlton, Maine, on March 27, 1925. “A County boy”. The son of Ora and Minnie Rogers Smart. Jack was welcomed by an older brother, Atwood whom he cherished very much. Jack attended Houlton High School where he played baseball and football. Jack went off to serve his country before graduating and received his diploma later.

Jack had happy memories while growing up in Houlton in the 1930s. His mom was a lovely lady and lived to be 103-and-a-half years old. Jack’s dad would take him and his brother fishing and hunting. His family would go to their camp on East Grand Lake, which Jack’s dad had built. Jack grew a love for the outdoors. Jack became an avid skier and went with his family often. In 1971, Jack was the head gate keeper at the World Cup ski race at Sugarloaf Mountain.

Jack had several part time jobs during his school years. He had a paper route, sold seeds and magazine subscriptions, mowed lawns, shoveled driveways, worked at the local stores and picked potatoes. Being from Aroostook County the schools would shut down for three weeks each fall, and all the students would pick potatoes. The start of becoming a businessman and entrepreneur.

In summer 1942, Jack worked greasing and washing cars for $1-a- day at J K McKay’s Garage. He saved enough money to buy his first car, a 1929 Ford Model A for $20. Gas was 20-cents a gallon.

In early 1943, Jack and four of his high school buddies drove from Houlton to Portland to enlist for the service as World War ll had erupted. Jack signed up for the United States Navy. After completing Naval Air Gunners School, he was stationed in Guam where he flew on a B24 bomber with the Naval Air Force as a top turret gunner, firing twin 50 caliber machine guns and radioman on heavy bombers in the Pacific Theatre of War. Picking up wounded during the Okinawa campaign and many other missions. His date of entry into the military was June 3, 1943, and was honorably discharged March 24, 1946. Receiving the World War ll Victory Medal, the American Theatre Medal and the Pacific Theatre Medal.

After returning from the war Jack took correspondence courses and received his high school diploma. He attended the University of Maine Orono and Ricker College.

Jack became an independent sales representative for the GH Bass Company for 20 years. Jack then started his own company importing shoes from Italy, selling shoes and clothes to companies such as LL Bean and Eddie Bauer. Jack owned Haskell’s shoe store in Winthrop from 1963-1973.

Jack owned two Ziebart rustproofing franchises, in Augusta and Westbrook. In 1986, he built and owned the Capital West Business Center with 10 tenants until 1999. Over the years he was president of several business organizations: The Jack Smart Company Inc, Autoguard Inc, and New England Ziebart Dealers Association.

Jack was founder and president of the Readfield Beach Association, president of the Readfield Little Town Club, Sports Unlimited and the Sugarloaf Ski Club. One of his passions which he co-founded and was president for 25 years, was Camp KV for Kids in Readfield. He was president and coach of the Gulf Coast Scholastic Shooters Inc, Sarasota Florida (a youth organization) which he co-founded. He was very proud of his sporting clays team that went to the Junior Nationals Championship, San Antonio Texas in 2007 and came in first place.

He was corporator of Kennebec Savings Bank, a board member of the UMA of Augusta Foundation, a life member of the Augusta Board of Trade, a board member and contributor of the Readfield Union Meeting House, a former board member and life member of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, a life member of the National Rifle Association and a member of Monument Lodge of Masons, Houlton, Maine.

His hobbies were investing, projects at the family home and camps, fly fishing, hunting, and sporting clays shooting. Jack enjoyed going on many fishing and hunting trips with his sons and grandson and some very special friends. He took hunting trips with his son, Rick to Alaska. Hunting for brown bear, elk and deer. Jack took around fifty canoe trips down the Allagash Waterway. For a few years Jack bravely took youth on his Allagash trips.

Jack had a cabin cruiser in Boothbay Harbor which he, his wife Anita and their children, Jim, Rick and Betty took out often with their black lab, Brandy. They went up and down the Maine coast and many times stayed overnight on the boat.

Jack enjoyed working with and supporting youth organizations and believed in giving back to the community. One of his most gratifying projects was the World War ll Memorial Monument beginning with an idea, then its inception, research, construction and upon completion with 1240 veteran’s names engraved, donated to the Town of Houlton by the Smart Family Foundation in a ceremony July 4, 2001.

Jack is survived by his daughter Elizabeth (Betty) Milliken, and grandson Luke T. Milliken, his nephew Jack A. Smart and wife Kim and great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Atwood, first wife Patricia L Woodward married Sept. 10, 1948 (losing her to breast cancer April 9, 1958). On March 11, 1961, he married Anita Smart, after 57 years of marriage she passed away on Sept. 6, 2017. Also, he was predeceased by his sons James W. Smart and Richard J. Smart and a niece Elizabeth Smart Vose.

He was a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist, Boston, and has been attending Manchester Community Church, Manchester, Maine. Contributing to the new addition, Sweeney Hall.

Jack and Anita lived in Readfield for many years before moving to Granite Hill Estates in Hallowell in 2012. Jack has resided at the new Maine Veterans Homes Augusta receiving care for the past several months.

Services and a reception will be held at the Manchester Community Church, 21 Readfield Road, Manchester, on Friday, March 24 at 2 p.m. There will be a time of visitation at the Church beginning at 1 p.m. A military burial will be at the Readfield Corner Cemetery Church Rd Readfield later in the spring.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for the care Jack received from Maine Veterans Homes Augusta. Jack and Anita appreciated the compassionate care they received from their caregiver, Beverly Olson.

Jack would say “I had a good life”.

He did it his way.

Arrangements are in the care of the Roberts Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin St. Winthrop, where condolences and memories may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the funeral home website by visiting http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com

Jack was very generous to many organizations. And leaves a huge legacy to many charities. Donations may be made in Jack’s name to Camp KV for Kids, P O Box 314 Augusta ME 04332.