Services set for Springfield couple, unborn baby killed in Champaign County crash

Jacob Smith and Ashlynn Dooley. CONTRIBUTED

Jacob Smith and Ashlynn Dooley. CONTRIBUTED

A couple from Springfield and their unborn child who died Friday morning as a result of a crash were taken way too soon, said the mother of one of the victims.

Jacob Smith, 23, and Ashlynn Dooley, 20, were killed in a crash in the 3700 block of Urbana-Moorefield Road in Champaign County when a Ford truck crossed the center line and struck the couple’s vehicle head-on. It’s unknown if charges have been filed against the driver.

Smith and Dooley are described as a “ray of sunshine” and the “brightest light” by their mothers.

“He was just a great kid,” said Smith’s mother Amy Smith. “I just can’t take it how great he was. Just the ray of sunshine he was.”

“She was just the brightest light you can imagine, the biggest heart, very forgiving, loved everyone and everyone loved her,” said Dooley’s mother Jammie Bowermaster.

Jacob Smith graduated from Springfield High School and CTC in 2015, and worked for the family business at Muffler Brothers in Urbana, according to his obituary.

“He didn’t do any harm. He tried to live right by God. He’d give the shirt off his back,” his mother said. “There’s not a bad word anyone could say about him.”

She said her son loved to hunt, fish, hike, camp, and just be outside.

“Jacob was taken from this world far too soon and will be sadly missed by all that knew him,” his obit says.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his father, James Smith, his siblings, James, Carl and Kaitlyn along with many other family members, his obituary says.

RELATED: 2 dead, 1 injured after head-on crash in Champaign County

Dooley attended Springfield and Cliff Park high schools before graduating from an online school.

“She was so outgoing. I don’t think there was a person she met that she didn’t touch in some way,” her mother said.

Jammie Bowermaster said Dooley was 12 weeks pregnant and they were supposed to find out the gender of the baby next week.

“They loved each other so much. I’ve never seen two parents more excited to be parents,” Jammie Bowermaster said. “They wanted this baby more than anything.”

In addition to her mother, Dooley is survived by her father, Kevin Dooley, her siblings, Cierra, Christain and Joey Trimble and many other family members, her obituary says.

“Ashlynn was always outgoing and adventurous and was a shining light wherever she went,” her obit says. “Ashlynn’s contagious smile and caring soul are only a few of the characteristics that made her so special to so many people.”

The couple will be buried together at Ferncliff Cemetery.

“They were taken too soon. Taken way, way too soon,” Amy Smith said.

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In lieu of flowers, the families ask that memorial contributions and donations be made through the funeral home website to help with expenses. People can also plant a memorial tree by visiting the Tribute Store.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 2, between 3 and 8 p.m. with restrictions on how many people can enter at one time and with access based on visitors’ last names. The family is restricted to only 50 people in the funeral home at a time. To view the times, visit the funeral home website at www.jacksonlytle.com.

When arriving at the funeral home, staff will assist in parking and visitors must stay in their vehicles until told to go inside.

The funeral service will be private to immediate family only and will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 3, via live stream on the Jackson Lytle & Lewis Life Celebration Center Facebook page.

If anyone wishes to show support, they can line the sidewalks down North Limestone Street on Friday as the funeral procession passes. Those doing so are asked to maintain proper social distance from each other, and to park in the Kroger parking lot on the corner of North Limestone Street and Home Road.

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