He was born In 1902 in Ohladów, graduated from Medecine department of Jan Kazimierz University in Lviev.
In 1920 as a grammar school student he participated in Polish- Russian war where was wounded, later during II World War he worked for Polish resistance movement – at the same time he was studying hard as a university student.
In 1944 he moved to Nowy Sącz to become a hospital director, in 1954 he started working as a director of, still being under construction, hospital in Krynica.
Unfortunately because of cardiovascular system illness Jan Śmieszek died in 1958, but before his death he managed to perform a lot of complicated surgeries ( like plastic surgeries ) and thanks to his efforts hospital in Krynica gained a reputation of very well managed one.
Therefore in 1965 – the tenth anniversary of starting the hospital – a plaque commemorating its first director was displayed.