The funeral service for James Karl “Jimmy” Smith will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, August 1, at Riverwood Family, with interment in Hawkins Chapel Cemetery. Visitation is 5-8 p.m., Monday, July 31, at Riverwood and will resume Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
James "Jimmy" Karl Smith was born April 27th, 1951 in Detroit Michigan to R.E. Smith and Eileen May Kissel Smith.
The Family moved to Brookhaven Mississippi in 1959 where he attended Enterprise school. He played sports in high school and was chosen to play for the All-Star basketball team of 1969. While at Enterprise, he was All District, All Mid-south Conference, All County and All South Mississippi All Star-in basketball. Let it be noted, he kicked the first field goal at Enterprise. After graduation he went on to play basketball at Co-Lin on a basketball scholarship. After graduating from Co- Lin, he began a career with Illinois Central Railroad. He started as a signalman for Illinois Central and moved into a supervisory position for CN. He worked for the Railroad for 42 years. He met the love of his life, Angela, and she met her Romeo at the Exchange Club fair in the Fall of 1972. They married in September of 1973 and were going to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on September 8th. In their 50 years, they enjoyed beach trips, Canton Flea Market excursions, raising children, gardening, ballgames, dance recitals and building anything Angela might imagine. They made a beautiful life together.
Jimmy carpooled his granddaughter, Ann Claire, from school, to McDonalds, to ball practice all the while giving her unsolicited life advise. Lessons to live by and pass on!
Jimmy and Angela were tightly woven in their congregations. Every Sunday Jimmy arrived early to turn on air conditioning or heating for parishioners of Hawkins Chapel and on weekdays he was watering the plants at Friendship Baptist Church. He was a dedicated Christian being active at both churches. As a member of Hawkins he was the trustee, and as a member at Friendship, he was active on multiple committees as well as serving as a Deacon. Jimmy and Angela together attended both services every Sunday.
Jimmy was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2008. After treatment he was blessed with the gift of being healed. He lived a full life after his treatment. As a devout Christian, Jimmy's priorities were God, family, and friends. He walked the walk and talked the talk. He practiced the ways of God and extended a helping hand to many in need. Beloved community-wide and especially by his children, Carrie and Cole, his grandchildren, Tyler, Rayne, Riley, Ann Claire, Beckett, Shepard, Noah and Great grandchild, Kennedy Ann with another one on the way. The circle keeps expanding.
His Christian faith will be carried on by them all with the loyal support of his son in law Daniel and daughter in law Whitney as Jimmy modeled a loving, faithful parental figure.
Other than deer hunting his favorite pastime was coaching. He coached both of his kids in all their sports endeavors as well as volunteering to coach his niece and nephew and so many other school children. Traveling around the county, coaching them, supporting them, as if they were his own. He enjoyed coaching and watching all of his grandkids play ball. He successfully passed on his love of sports to his children and grandchildren. And, to them all, he will always be an all-star.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Mike Smith; nephew, Blaine Hamilton; and father-in-law, Vernon Smith.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 50 years, Angela Smith; children, Carrie Case (Daniel) and Cole Smith (Whitney); sisters, Marilyn Wilson (Mickey), Sherry Lewis (Steve), Kathy Hamilton (David); sister-in-law, Teresa Smith; seven grandchildren, one great grandchild, and one other great grand on the way. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Ann Smith; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Glyn and Tawanda Smith and Stanton and Renee Dossett as well as a host of nieces, nephews and other loving family members and friends.
The family would like to extend many thanks for the grand expressions of love and support. Keep the love and prayers deep in your hearts for Angela and the kids. May God be with you.
