Jean Dewey Smith
January 2, 1921 - March 16, 2021
Jean Dewey Smith, 100, passed away peacefully in her sleep March 16 at her assisted living facility in San Gabriel, California.
Jean was born Jan. 2, 1921, in Toronto, Canada, to Harry Earl Dewey and Eva Gast Dewey. Her father was a civil engineer and worked on construction of the Panama Canal. He died when Jean was an infant, and she and her mother eventually relocated to California when Jean was 9.
Jean graduated from Eagle Rock High School in 1937 and enrolled at Pomona College. Named “Queen of the Campus” in her freshman year by Pomona alumnus Joel McCrae, she graduated in 1941 with a degree in political science. After graduation, she worked at Security First National Bank and then as an expeditor, sourcing precision materials for the California Institute of Technology’s experimental rocket program, which would later become JPL. Continuing at Caltech, she grew amino acid crystals in Robert B. Corey’s lab, work that would contribute to breakthrough research on the structure of proteins published in 1951 with Linus Pauling. She also worked in the meteorology department, drawing weather maps. She was pleased to discover that her supervisor, Theodore (Ted), was also a football fan and they began dating — their first date being to a junior-college football game in the Rose Bowl.
Ted and Jean were married Aug. 11, 1947, in Pasadena. They lived in Denver for a short time but returned to California when Jean’s mother took ill. The couple settled in Pasadena and had three sons, living in the same house for 66 years. Jean divided her time between family and volunteering. For 35 years, she was a docent at the Gamble House, leading tours and working on the Wednesday Luncheon committee. Jean’s favorite pastimes were knitting and (often concurrently) watching football, especially the UCLA Bruins and L.A. Rams. She hand-knit beautiful wool socks and sweaters for family and friends. She set up a knitting studio and became an accomplished machine knitter, taking classes and creating exquisite suits and Fair Isle sweaters. She enjoyed many different hobby crafts, and was always looking for new ways to express her creativity. Ted and Jean fell in love with Hawaii, returning to Maui every year to enjoy snorkeling and island life. Jean was fiercely independent, drove until she was 95, and lived on her own until she was 97. She always made friends easily, even when she moved to her assisted living facility in 2018. Above all, Jean loved people, kids, animals, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, reading, and walking. She loved to smile and to bring out smiles in others. She loved good jokes and bad ones. She loved music and gave her three sons that love of music. She loved live theater, good books and cooking, particularly during the holidays. We will all miss her so much.
Jean’s wish was to be cremated and her ashes spread in Hawaii. Her husband, Theodore, and a son, Brian, preceded her in death. Survivors are her sons, Geoff, of Los Angeles, Stephen, of Denver, and a son-in-law, Larry Magpantay, of Los Angeles. A memorial service will take place once it’s safe for people to gather.
The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Sunrise of San Marino for providing outstanding care and support for Jean and her loved ones.