Amherst, MA – Jean Elizabeth Smyser, age 93, of Amherst, Mass., passed away on April 4, 2026, peacefully at her home.
She was born on September 22, 1932 in Pittsfield, Mass. to Granville and Elizabeth (Pierce) Pruyne.
Jean attended Pittsfield High School and the University of Massachusetts, where she earned a degree in Zoology. She went on to raise four children, served for many years as a Town Meeting member, and worked at the Stavros Center for Independent Living. She was known for her resilience as she did all these things on crutches and braces after a bout of polio at age 12.
She was married to her beloved husband, Charles F. Smyser, Jr., for 68 years until his passing in 2023. She is survived by her children Jonathan Smyser, Robert Smyser (Bridget), and Cheryl (Smyser) Roberts; grandchildren Kacey Snape (Austin), Jordyn Roberts, Tristan Smyser, and Kieran Smyser; her great-grandchildren Sydney and Charlie Snape; and her brothers Lt. Colonel Kim Pruyne, USAF (Ret.) and Peter Pruyne. She was preceded in death by her husband, her son David Smyser, and her brother Eric Pruyne.
A viewing and funeral will be held on April 13, 2026 from 10 – 11 AM at The Douglass Funeral Home, Amherst, MA. Internment will follow in Wildwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Stavros Center for Independent Living.
Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com
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