John "Jack" Andrew Smith
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John Andrew "Jack" Smith, 63, of Charleston died Friday, October 23, 2020, at home surrounded by his loving family.
Jack was born February 25, 1957, in Wheeling, WV, to Lillian and Bernard Smith. Jack was the seventh child of eight children. He was rightly proud of his family and growing up on "the Island." Jack would boast proudly that he never had to break in a baseball glove and always had a big brother watching over him.
Jack was graduated from Wheeling Jesuit University in 1979 with a B.S. in Business Administration, summa cum laude. While at Wheeling Jesuit, Jack was awarded The Wall Street Journal Award for Outstanding Business Administration Student. In an odd turn of events, Jack ran out of gasoline on his way home from receiving an award for having the then-highest grade point average at Wheeling Jesuit.
Jack received his legal education from West Virginia University College of Law in 1982. At WVU, Jack was a member of Law Review, Order of Barristers, Moot Court Board, Federal Moot Court Team, and Articles Editor for the Journal of College and University Law.
In 1982, Jack moved to Charleston to clerk for the late Charles Harold Haden II, Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. He was recruited out of this clerkship to join the Charleston firm of Kay, Casto & Chaney.
At Kay Casto, Jack met and fell in love with Carol Plunkett. Jack and Carol married on June 23, 1990, in her hometown of Pittsburgh.
Following his tenure at Kay Casto, Jack ran the local legal department of Travelers Insurance Company before joining Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso in 2010, where he was recognized as The Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation (2015-2021), Insurance Law (2015-2021), Legal Malpractice Law-Defendants(2017-20210), Litigation-Insurance (2016-2021), Personal Injury Litigation- Defendants (2016-2021), Professional Malpractice Law-Defendants (2017-2021),2021-Lawyer of the Year Charleston, WV- Legal Malpractice- Defendants, 2020-Lawyer of the Year Charleston, WV-Insurance Law, 2017-Lawyer of the Year-Charleston, WV-Legal Malpractice-Defendants. Jack was also recognized as West Virginia Super Lawyers (2015-2020).
A loving husband, father and distinguished lawyer, his passion, love, and charisma stretched far beyond the walls of the office and courtroom. He showed his wife and sons Henry and Luke endless amounts of affection. Whether it was "breaking a world record" on the swing set after school, returning a soaking wet hug from one of his sons at the pool while he was still in his work suit, or greeting his wife with a morning cup of coffee in bed after a round of chemotherapy, Jack always gave full participation with a smile on his face. And rarely did he see a stream in which he couldn't catch a fish, or so we were told.
Jack was charitable with his time, his smile, and his affection. His love of life was such that it frequently extended to people he did not know, ranging in form from a kind word to (always) asking to hold a stranger's baby and rave about what a beautiful child they had.
Jack identified as an outdoorsman (hunting, fishing and camping), cherishing his good fortune to share Camp Bennett with his other great outdoorsmen friends, a dream of his since he could remember. Measurements of a good trip had little to do with Jack getting a deer or catching the biggest fish, but had everything to do with the amount of laughs, stories, good meals, cigars and clear night skies full of stars.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Lillian and Bernard, and his older brothers, Gene and Bill. Jack is survived by his wife, Carol, and their two sons, Henry and Luke, sisters in law Cappy (Gene) and Joanie (Bill), brothers and sisters, Michael "Mike" (Kathy), Laura Jane King, Jerome "Jerry" (Pam), Louis "Lou" (Barbara), Carolyn Leone and many, many loved nieces, nephews, great-neices and great-nephews. Jack will be desperately missed by his adoring family, his many, many friends and his loyal Cavachon sidekick/ legal assistant, Ty.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the family held a private service in honor of Jack's spectacular life on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral.
Jack's family wishes to express their appreciation for the care they and Jack received from Pam Phillips, Hospice Care and the Doctors and staff at Duke University Hospital.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to: Hospice Care Charleston, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W., Charleston, WV 25387 or the Duke Cancer Center, giving.dukehealth.org .
Memories of Jack may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.