James “Jack” Edward Albano, affectionately known by his family as “The Smartest Man in the World,” lived a life filled with family, friendship, laughter, hard work, and plenty of good stories.
At the heart of Jack’s life was his wife and best friend, Cheryl. Jack and Cheryl shared 58 wonderful years of marriage, creating a beautiful life together. They enjoyed leaving little love notes for each other throughout their home, each delighting in the surprise of finding the next one. Some of their best moments were also the simplest, including their daily games of Skip-Bo. Above everything else, Jack was proud of his family. With two daughters and four granddaughters, he often joked that it was a good thing he loved women. He loved sharing stories of his younger years with his granddaughters and taking them to breakfast after sleepovers. Jack also enjoyed the morning tradition of sharing Wordle scores with his daughters. He was immensely proud of his daughters, the wonderful husbands they chose, and the families they created.
And about that “Smartest Man in the World” title—Jack did his best to earn it. He loved watching Jeopardy! and somehow seemed to know all the answers. When his daughters were young and came to him with a question, Jack would have them get the encyclopedia off the top shelf, look up the answer, close the book, and share in their own words what they had learned. That tradition carries on with his granddaughters today—only now, they turn to Google.
Jack loved sports throughout his life and was a proud Michigan State Spartans fan, a love that grew from his daughters attending Michigan State. He was a member of the Monroe Boat Club in Monroe, Michigan, where many wonderful memories were made. Jack also treasured the lifelong friendships he developed, including an incredible group of friends who shared annual canoe trips and, in the spirit of fun, were dubbed the “Bozos and Bimbos.”
Jack proudly served in the United States Army and went on to have a successful career with Guardian Industries, where he served as a Plant Manager. A respected leader and mentor, Jack was generous with his time and made a lasting impact on many throughout his career. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Mae and Jim Albano, and his siblings, Flora, Al, and John.
He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Albano; daughters Kimberly (Art) Notario and Heather (Scott) Smith; and four beloved granddaughters, Kate Notario, Jessalyn Smith, Madeline Notario, and Maris Smith. Jack leaves behind much more than a list of accomplishments. He leaves a lifetime of stories, lessons, friendships, laughter, traditions, and people who are better for having known him. Jack’s family will gather for a private celebration of his life at a later date. To honor Jack, share your favorite memories of him with one another. Donations may be made in Jack’s memory to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
