Jason Smith Player one. Husband. Dad. Jason Robert Smith, 52, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at the Cook Family Residence in the Hospice of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, surrounded by his loved ones. He was predeceased by his father figure and mentor, Dean Allen Medlock. Jason leaves behind his devoted and beloved wife and player two Jane Schepansky; as well as his son and daughter, players three and four, Nicholas and Madison Smith. He was a devoted husband and proud loving dad. His affection for those around him guided him through every challenge big and small. When thinking of Jason, one can’t help but recall his lifelong love for the Star Wars universe. He first fell in love with the galaxy through A New Hope and continued to follow all things Star Wars throughout his life. Watching the movies never lost its charm for him; quoting characters never became dull; exploring its rich lore remained endlessly fascinating. He found immense joy in all forms of Star Wars media: books, comics, shows, stories, board games, and video games. His favorite onscreen characters reflected many of his own qualities – Han Solo’s wit and adventurous spirit; Boba Fett’s intelligence and principles; Luke Skywalker’s compassion and idealism. He hit the jackpot when a job opened at Lucas Arts in the Presidio of San Francisco where he built a memorable career filled with countless memories while working on video games. Jason was a lifelong gamer who loved exploring many fantasy worlds. Since childhood he enjoyed the community aspect of Dungeons & Dragons playing with friends and neighbors. Whether it was arcades or consoles like Atari, SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast or Playstations – no console ever felt outdated but instead remained a cherished reminder of past adventures to revive old memories through the years. It wasn’t just about escaping into another world; it was also about bringing loved ones along for fun times together. At heart he was an avid game collector famous for his vast Steam Library filled with more games than anyone could count. His love story with Jane began online during Team Fortress 2 where he played as the sniper while she took on the role of medic. An adventurous message blossomed into years of long-distance love that saw them meet at Flamingo Hotel in 2016 before marrying in Las Vegas in 2020; afterward they settled down in Ontario enjoying time with extended family. He is survived by mother-in-law Janet Schepansky (“the mothership”), father-in-law Dymetro Schepansky, sister-in-law Shirley Schepansky, and brother-in-law Eric Thibodeau. Jason’s excitement for sports never faded over time either -as a kid he loved playing baseball while cheering on the New York Mets. Additionally , he developed an appreciation for basketball thanks to watching Larry Bird play for Boston Celtics. Anyone who lived under one roof with him will surely remember those hilarious , deafening claps, yells during football games especially when rooting passionately from edge seat following Denver Broncos. A longtime fan of fantasy football , he spent nearly thirty years managing Swamp Daddies team. Visiting casinos brought him joy too; whether being their most comped customer or sharp poker contestant at tables , hot roller shooting dice , enthusiastic conversationalist near slot machines – luck always seemed to favor him! One delightful habit included tracking lottery tickets hoping someone would eventually win big! What everyone quickly learned from knowing Jason is how fortunate they truly were having him around. Whether family member, a close friend or even stranger alike could feel connected due largely because he possessed an extraordinary gift making others feel heard, welcome understood, and happy. His recent position at San Nicolas Island & Point Mugu allowed opportunity forming lasting friendships across many backgrounds sharing laughter together along way too. He encouraged everyone embrace life’s silly moments: singing goofy songs, giving funny pet names brightening each moment shared.
He had remarkable intelligence starting day informed keeping up news from various sources ensuring awareness regarding everything happening out there! A constant learner eager researching best practices , Jason aimed share great experiences creating unforgettable moments treasured forever! Within grand game called Life-Jason didn’t simply play-rather elevated experience enriching lives touched by knowing them! Today though-his controller rests quietly awaiting next adventure ahead however legacy carries forth within every story told, memory made, joke cracked, song sung,& laugh shared. Jason-you’ll always remain player one our hearts moving onto next chapter.. May The Force be With You Always ! We’d like thank miracle workers assisting us throughout endgame including medical teams from St Mary’s Grand River Hospital Sunnybrook UHN Toronto General Hospitals Cook Family Residence “hotel” Waterloo. Many thanks also go out Jane’s work family Fed Dev plus numerous friends/family providing support kindness these past few years. To view more pictures capturing highlights throughout life we’ve set up this Google Drive folder: https://drive. google. com/drive/folders/1Gk BRVnx Chqno7Gk N-fgyk Pul Uu LUWaqk? usp=sharing
*still adding!
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