Jean Pearl Smart was born on December 19, 1944, in the small, rural parish of Manchester in Jamaica, W.I., to Rudolph and Imogene (Davis) Smart. She was the second-born child and eldest daughter of the couple. She passed away on August 9, 2026, at the age of 81 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jean was raised by her paternal aunt, Gertrude (Smart) Rodney, in Jamaica's capital and urban center, Kingston, alongside her younger cousin. As a child, Jean attended Rousseau Primary School in Kingston. She later attended Duff's Business College. Her education at Duff's would become an asset in her future endeavors. Jean had many careers. She was a seamstress, creating many eye-catching outfits. She worked at the Modern Furnishing Company, then later as a bookkeeper at the Coca-Cola factory in Kingston.

In the early 1970s, Jean married Sidney Brown. One of her wedding-day highlights was the rare photographs of her father. While her marriage did not produce any children, the couple did end up as surrogate parents to her youngest sister after the death of their father. The marriage did not last, and Jean immigrated to the United States in 1977with her mother.

Once in America, Jean initially worked as a home health aide in New York City, then as a check processor at a bank in Westchester. Along with her day jobs, Jean had a thriving hair dressing business on the side.

In 1984, her daughter Salina entered her life, and she raised her as a single mother. A few years later, Jean relocated to Georgia with Salina. Once there, she worked in an administrative capacity at several Atlanta area hospitals. She took pride in her work and was an exemplary employee. She was passionate about her career and was still employed at DeKalb Medical Center in Atlanta until her brain cancer diagnosis in October 2025.

Jean was not "all work and no play." She had a very full life. She cooked. She sewed. She styled hair. Jean was active as an Usher at her church for many years. She was also well-traveled - cruising annually with her church group. For many years, Jean's family line just included her Salina. The family unit grew with the addition of grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and an unofficially adopted son.

Jean Pearl was preceded in death by her baby brother, Paul, her adored father, Rudolph, and her cherished mother, Imogene. She is survived by her daughter Salina, granddaughters Alyssia and Corria, great-granddaughter Aylani, adopted son Fongce-yu; fourteen siblings, nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews, great-great-grandnieces and great-great-grandnephews, and aunts, uncles, cousins, godchildren, work colleagues and dear friends.