FRIENDS, family, and members of the media fraternity gathered on Saturday to honour the life and legacy of Jamaica Observer journalist Alecia Smith — not only for her impactful contributions to journalism but also as a devoted mother whose quiet strength left a lasting impression on all who knew her.

Born on September 14, 1982, Smith, who passed on April 8, 2025, was remembered through heartfelt tributes that painted a portrait of a woman who embodied grace, resilience, and dedication. “A devoted mother, a cherished daughter, friend and colleague,” was how Rochelle Williams, a former colleague from her time at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), described Smith.

Delivering her tribute at the thanksgiving service for Smith’s life at Hellshire United Church in Portmore, St Catherine, Williams reflected on the late journalist’s character, describing her as someone whose strength was quiet but powerful.

“For me, what I noticed about her is that she actually had a quiet strength and authenticity of character and grace in the face of challenges, and an ability to laugh in the most difficult moments,” Williams said. “She didn’t know, but she taught me that strength does not have to be loud. Challenges reveal a person’s true character, and she also taught me that courage is perseverance and integrity in the midst of the storm,” she said.

That courage and resilience were echoed throughout the tributes, especially from those who worked closely with Smith during her career.

Huntley Medley, former CEO at JIS, recalled her brilliance as a writer and her unrelenting pursuit of excellence.

“She was full of inside jokes, and she was always trying to find a new angle from which to write her stories. This preoccupation of hers, that is taking the extra time that is required to find the new angle to make the story more interesting, it made the copy better, of course, but it did not always find favour with her editors,” he said while drawing laughter from the audience.

He recounted that Smith’s love for storytelling led her to dig deeper, even when deadlines were fast approaching, which he said was not always favourable for some of her editors who always wanted stories to be completed quickly.“To be fair to Alecia…whoever the editor was, they never seemed to appreciate that exceptional word-smithing is a process that just can’t be rushed — and if Alecia was nothing else, she was an exceptional wordsmith in name and in nature. And, I noticed that’s what she called herself on her social media handles. She’s the wordsmith,” he expressed.

Medley also noted that Smith always dedicated her time to producing quality work, which, he said, showed her dedication to the profession.

“The true moral of the story is that Alecia found her passion and gave journalism her all. Her colleagues and bosses can attest to the fact that she took her work seriously and always had pride in her work, in her profession, and in the creative process that was her work life,” he added.

In the meantime, while her skill with words defined her professionally, her nephew Dane Roberts during the eulogy acknowledged that it was her heart, especially as a mother, that defined her personally.

“Alecia was, first and foremost, a mother. To her son Demario she gave everything: books, toys, clothes, laughter, Sunday school, and above all, the sacred supermarket trip… She made each of his birthdays special.

“Every year, the house would be transformed to whatever theme of that year. So, last year it was galactic theme so we had planets and stars hung on the ceiling — and even the napkins were a part of it. She poured her heart into her son, she made magic for him, not just on birthdays, but every day,” he said.

Roberts’s tribute offered mourners a deeply personal glimpse into Smith’s world beyond the newsroom, a world, he said, was defined by love, intention and magic.

“Alecia was a perfectionist, a stickler for the right word, and if the words didn’t feel quite right she would walk around the house, consulting with family, trying to find that perfect phrase, that perfect word, that perfect truth,” he said.

Her love for language, he said, wasn’t just a professional tool but a part of her soul. From carefully constructed news copy to the bedtime stories she told her son, he noted that Smith lived by the power and precision of words.

Roberts recalled the moment her journalistic journey truly began, inspired by a school career day presentation.

“After a career day presentation by Lloyd B Smith of the Western Mirror Alecia came home filled with excitement and conviction, declaring to her mother, ‘Mommy, I am going to be a journalist,’ and she [was],” he said.

That promise led her to a career that spanned nearly two decades, first at JIS where she worked for 14 years, and then at the Observer where she spent the last three years of her life.

“Alecia had a singular voice,” Roberts said. “She was a careful thinker, and she was filled with compassion and courage.”

Media colleague Keisha Wilks also delivered a musical tribute to Smith.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St Catherine South Eastern Robert Miller shared his respect for Smith, recalling her knack for asking hard-hitting questions during press briefings.

“Her writings were always on point…we would have various press conferences and she would be the one to ask the thought-provoking questions, questions that sometimes would be uncomfortable for persons to answer,” Miller recounted.

He said that their professional relationship eventually evolved into a genuine friendship, especially after discovering that their children attended the same school.

“We became very close friends and she has given a lot to her profession, she has given a lot to her community, she has given a lot to her family, [and] I know for a fact that she’s at peace with her Maker,” he said.

Echoing that sentiment, family friend Everton Anderson remembered watching Smith grow from a quiet, observant teenager into a confident, professional woman and devoted mother.

“She represented the values of decency, honesty, trustworthiness, and just being somebody who will not be problematic being around other people’s spirits, and that comes from [a] great upbringing. So, I’ve seen her blossom from being that unsure teenager, that fair-minded teenager, that person who spent a lot of time by her mother’s side to be just a total professional, a caring mother, and somebody who has added quite a bit to her field of journalism,” he said.

Dane Roberts, Alecia Smith’s nephew, in tears during the funeral service held on Saturday. (Garfield Robinson)

Jamaica Observer colleague Keisha Wilks offers a musical tribute to the late Alecia Smith. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)

Smith’s cousins Dawn Anderson (front) and (from left) Aundrae Darby, Marva Vernon, Melissa Morrison and Dushane Bent pay a floral tribute at her casket. (Garfield Robinson)