Jessica Anne Smart

Jessica Anne Smart

Lillian, Ala.

10/01/1996 - 11/25/22

Jessica Smart, 26, passed away peacefully at her parents’ home in Lillian, Ala., after a lengthy illness. She had suffered Meningo-encephalitis of unknown cause in 2017, resulting in a brain injury.

Jess was born in Cedar Rapids and raised in Robins, Iowa. An avid equestrian, she began her horse riding adventures at the age of 4. She competed for years in Western Show, Dressage, and Three Day Eventing in the Midwest Region of USEA.

Jessica loved music, nature, animals, and ceramics. She enjoyed reading and writing and had a sarcastically punny sense of humor. A student at Kirkwood Community College until her illness, she loved learning. She had a great sense of adventure and enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. Jess modeled hair styles and worked as a barista and manager at Java Creek in Cedar Rapids while attending college.

She is survived by her parents Thomas and Mary Smart of Lillian, Ala., her brother Austin Griffith (Megan) and niece Lucy Griffith of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A Memorial Celebration of Life will be held on Dec. 17 at the family home in Lillian for all who would like to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Jessica’s honor to Buckaroo Foundation where Jessica received hippo therapy. Donations can be sent to Buckaroo Foundation, 1204 Shelton Beach Rd., Ste 3 #307, Saraland, AL 36571 or by PayPal to BuckarooFoundation@ymail.com or Venmo at BuckarooFoundation.org.

The family would not have been able to properly care for Jess since 2017 without the ongoing support of their extended family and would like to especially thank Kathy Smart who spent countless evenings caring for Jess.