Jacob Stewart Smith

Jacob Stewart Smith, 35, returned to his Heavenly Home on Father’s Day, June 16, 2019, in West Jordan, Utah, as a result of a motorcycle accident caused by a drunk driver.  Jake was  born February 21, 1984, to Scott Parker Smith and Cindi Jane Smith of South Jordan, Utah.  He will always be remembered as an amazing father to his three precious children.  They were the greatest joy of his life.   Jacob leaves behind his children, Zoe, Eden, and Finn; parents, Scott and Cindi Smith; brothers, Aaron (Kjersta) and Ben; grandparents, Maurine Parker Smith, Harold and Joyce Robinson, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.  Jake was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On June 16th, 2019, Father's Day, Jake was involved in a motorcycle accident caused by a drunk driver, which ultimately took his life.  His family, friends and children are devastated by this tragic event.  He touched so many lives in so many ways, but his children, by far, were the most important part of his life.

Jacob was known by his family and friends as an extraordinary father to his three precious children, Zoe, Eden, and Finn.  His world revolved around bringing smiles, laughter and stability to their lives.  He was such a fantastic father and created so many memories for his children.  He was looking forward to more field trips, building forts and igloos, going on hikes together, and more recently, fun days at Lagoon.  His children adored him and looked forward to spending time together.  He made home a fun place to be, not only for his own children, but for many others who loved spending time there, because Jake always made them feel loved and included.

Jake was a man of many gifts and talents.  He was an amazing musician.  He was an accomplished pianist, played guitar and drums, and loved to sing.  He had a beautiful voice and wasn’t afraid to share his talents with others.  As a teenager and young adult, he participated in the Riverton Community Theater and played the lead part of the King in “The King and I” as well as the lead in “Honk,“ a comical story of The Ugly Duckling.  More recently, he often sang karaoke at local venues and was a favorite performer at those locations.

Jake had a gift for learning languages and was quick to understand and speak them without formal training.  He had an amazing knack of being able to fix just about anything, including his cars and motorcycles.  He also had an endless appetite for all kinds of food, especially if it was spicy and hot.  One of his favorite things to do was to buy the hottest sauce he could find and bring it to his Dad to try out.  He felt great pleasure watching his dad’s eyes water and his face turn red from the heat. 

As a teen, Jake participated in Wilderness Survival training where he developed many skills to live off the land and to survive in harsh conditions.  He loved hiking and camping and participated in the Boy Scout program, earning his Eagle Scout Award.  Not too many people can start a fire by rubbing two sticks together, but Jake could.

Jake’s job required him to travel a great deal of the time each week.  He never seemed to tire of visiting new places and taking in the different cultures and scenery.  He traveled to other countries and took every opportunity to see all that he had time for while he was there.  More recently, he spent his time traveling within the U.S.  Because of the amount of travel that he did, he was able to get free upgrades on his car rentals, and he always took full advantage of this perk.  He loved getting the newest and most exciting vehicle that was available and thoroughly enjoyed driving around the town.

When Jake was home on the weekends, one of his favorite things to do was to go for rides in the mountains on his motorcycle.  This was his way of unwinding from his busy week as he took in the peace and beauty of his surroundings.  He developed some very close riding friends who have been a wonderful support to him and his children. 

Over the past several months, Jake had developed many new friends who he met when he went on his first Caribbean cruise.  It was a dedicated “311” cruise, which is his favorite band that he loved.  Since that time, he acknowledged that these people and their tremendous friendship and support had changed his life in a very positive way.  These friends were scattered all across the country and where ever Jake’s work travels took him, he had a friend to meet up with.  It became increasingly apparent that this trip and his new found group of friends had a positive effect on him.  He was happier than he had been for a long time;  he was in a good place, loving life, enjoying his travels, and regularly expressing deep gratitude for his blessings and especially for his family.

Those who knew Jake spoke of him as a person who had a “heart of Gold,” one with an attitude of positivity, great stamina, strength of character, and one who could always pick himself up after overcoming great personal challenges.  He lived life to its absolute fullest.  He was full of gratitude for both the successes and hardships that he endured during his 35 years on this earth.  He loved his family deeply and opened his arms to anyone that needed a friend.  His spirit was strong and powerful and everyone was drawn to his fun and exciting personality. 

Jake, we love you, and we will be ever grateful to you for making our lives full.  Although our hearts are broken to lose you so early, we know where you are, and we know we will see you again.  Until that day, your spirit will live on in each of our hearts, and we will be inspired and strengthened each time we think about you and how you have blessed our lives.

For the benefit of Jake’s three children, his Family has set up a GoFundMe for any who would like to contribute in lieu of flowers. https://www.gofundme.com/angfa-jake-smith-memorial-fund