Paula J Smith

Paula Jessica Smith, 32, passed away on April 25, 2021, after a brave fight with brain cancer. She died peacefully at home, with her family and friends at her side.

The second of three children, Paula was born in Boston on January 17, 1989, to mother Lelias Blake and father Paul Smith, both from Jamaica. She moved to Jamaica Plain with her family after spending her early years in Cambridge. She attended the Chestnut Hill School in Newton and Noble and Greenough School in Dedham before earning her BA in Italian from Wesleyan University in 2012.

A gifted illustrator with a knack for foreign language, Paula delighted her friends and family with portraits and witty cartoons. She loved to travel, spending her junior year of college in Italy and her 28th birthday in Ireland, and visiting over a dozen countries throughout her life. In her final years, she devoted herself to writing and illustrating her children’s book, printed just before her passing.

Paula was an enthusiastic hugger, an unpredictable cook, and a gift to all who encountered her. She is survived by her mother and father, her brother, Randy; her sister, Taylor; and many relatives and friends in the US and abroad.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Paula at her visitation and service, either in person or via live stream. 

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