JAMES S. SMITH

James “Jim” Stafford Smith died Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009 in Langley, WA. In Jim’s final hours, he was surrounded by family in his own home. Jim was preceded in death by his son Michael Smith in September, 2007. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at St. Hubert’s Catholic Church in Langley, with the Rev. Rick Spicer as Celebrant. Burial will follow at Langley Cemetery.
Jim was born February 10, 1943 in Philadelphia, PA to Genevieve and John Smith. Jim graduated from Natrona County High School in Casper, WY. After attending Casper College, he graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1968. Jim put his degree in Civil Engineering to work and moved to the Pacific Northwest with Boeing. After several years in construction work, he and his wife started a general contracting business, J&L Builders.
While at the University of Wyoming, Jim met Laurie Jane Fossey. They married June 7, 1967. Their son Michael arrived in 1968 and daughter Jeanne in 1970. In 1975 Jim moved his family to Langley on Whidbey Island. Jim loved the quiet, laid-back life of Whidbey and spent many years building homes, public service buildings and centers, and remodeling businesses and projects. In his spare time and retirement, Jim spent many hours salmon fishing, golfing, traveling by motor home, assembling puzzles, and restoring old Chevrolet cars. Jim enjoyed many longtime friendships, from school days to his friends he cherished around Whidbey.
Jim was a lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church, a member of the Eagles Aerie #3418 and a Son of the American Legion post #141.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Laurie Smith of Langley; his daughter Jeanne Carty, husband Shawn and granddaughter Sarah of Bellevue, ID; his daughter-in-law DeeAnna Smith and grandchildren Kayla Lawson, Kassie Lawson, Katie Smith and Kurtis Smith of Coupeville, WA.
The family is deeply grateful to the staff and healthcare providers at Providence Cancer Care Alliance and Whidbey Home Health and Hospice.
The family suggests memorials may be made to the following organizations: Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift Shop (goodcheer.org), or Habitat for Humanity (habitat.org/donation) or the Everett Gospel Mission (egmission.org.) Arrangements are with the assistance of Whidbey Memorial Funeral and Cremation Service, Inc., 746 NE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor 98277. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guest register by going to www.whidbeymemorial.com.

A Completed Restoration ~ Glimpses of the life of James Smith

Sometimes, when we look at something, all we see is the exterior. The outer shell. It might be rusty, well worn and even held together at the seams, perhaps just a memory of what it once was. Or, it might be shiny and bright, dazzling in the sunlight. Other times, what we see might be so familiar and usual, we don’t really even see what’s right before our eyes. I invite you to think of a classic sports car, a beautiful shiny red car that has been “restored” and sits shimmering in the sunlight. A car that has been patiently, and lovingly put back together from a scattering of parts and pieces. I invite you to think of Jim, who now like the car, sits shimmering and dazzling in the light of God, restored and whole. A completed restoration, if you will.

Jim was born in Philadelphia, PA February 10, 1943 to Genevieve and John Smith. “Little Jimmy” and family moved several times before settling in Casper, WY. Moving was nothing new to a father in the service. In Casper, his Grandmother Molly O’Connell joined up with the family and oversaw the building of their home on the edge of town. These building skills no doubt rubbed off on Jim. While growing up in Casper, Jim was very involved with church, often serving as an Altar Boy for daily Mass before school. There are many humorous stories of Jim and the boyhood troubles he found with the nuns at St Anthony’s. One story involved Jim trying to get home to his mom after hiding in a grade school bathroom, climbing out the window to freedom from school, and making his way to downtown Casper.

Jim graduated from Natrona County High school, Casper WY in 1961. He then went on to Casper Jr. College and then the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He graduated in 1968, with a degree in Civil Engineering. While at the University, he met Laurie Jane Fossey in 1967. Last week while reminiscing , he described their first meeting as “Love at first sight.” Laurie claims he was initially attracted to her because of her 55 hardtop Chevy! Jim and Laurie married June 7, 1967. Soon after, they packed up and moved to the Pacific Northwest, when a recruiter from Boeing offered him a job in Seattle.

While working for Boeing, they welcomed son Rodney Michael to the family--and had to sell Laurie’s beloved hardtop 55 Chevy to cover the hospital fees. With Mike bouncing around the house, Jim moved his Grandmother Molly out to live with them in Edmonds. Soon after this, Jim realized the shirt and tie 8-5 work of Boeing was not his style, and went to work in construction for companies like Baugh and Ruskin Fisher. By 1970, daughter Jeanne came along and livened up the household even more. A few years later, Jim and Laurie started their own general contracting business, J & L Builders- just before moving to Whidbey Island in 1975. The dream job for Jim-being his own boss!

With J & L Builders, he built homes, remodeled businesses, and built public service buildings like a mental health service building, a Firehouse, and public restrooms. Jim especially liked building small affordable government-assisted homes. Jim liked to bid for jobs that were necessary and useful places, and not always glamorous.

When he moved to Whidbey Island, Jim knew it was the perfect place. He loved the laid back, easy-going, and friendly towns of South Whidbey. In 1975, he moved his mom and her husband, Gen and Sid Richards, to Langley for their retirement when they wanted to be close to family. First, he built the house his mom dreamed of, and then built his own home off of Langley road. Twelve years ago, he built another house on the edge of the property, their current home, and retired from building.

Many of you know that Jim was diagnosed with mouth cancer 20 years ago when he was 46. In recent years, he was diagnosed with a reoccurrence of this cancer twice. Each time, he stepped up and did whatever was necessary for treatment. Each time was a little more intense and left him with more complications. He didn’t complain, and really thought that he could beat it. So, in January this year, when the cancer returned again, they offered him treatment that would give him time, but not a cure. He stepped up and did what they told him to do. We tried to have the hope and faith that he had, as we watched his body fade from the once vibrant Jim we’d known to just a shell. We can honestly say he looked at every day as an opportunity to beat it.

When it came to caring for family, Jim stepped up and did the right thing. When his mother Gen suffered a stroke and it was clear she wasn’t going to recover, he brought her to his home for her final days. When his beloved Aunt Loretta was widowed and alone in Twin Falls, Idaho, he moved her out and brought her to his home. And when news arrived by phone on a cross country trip of his son Michael’s death, he turned around and drove to Arkansas to return Mike and his assorted pets back home. These acts of love came naturally to Jim, and it seemed like each one was an expression of his love for family.

In retirement, Jim enjoyed many hours of traveling around the country by motor home and especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. Cruises were made to places like the Mexican Riviera, Alaska, and even a Disney Cruise with all the grandchildren. Jim liked going just about anywhere that you could drive to--not wanting to get in airplanes. Ironic, given that he had worked for Boeing all those years ago.

Along with hours and hours of working on puzzles, fishing and occasional golfing, retirement let Jim work on his beloved old Chevys. Restoring his cars became a full time job. Looking around his workshops, it’s hard to believe he knew which pieces with which went with each cars. He had to have known each and every piece and enjoyed with patience the time and energy it took to fix and put each car to back together. Just last week he was sitting in the shop with his ‘59 Corvette, turning a little part around in his hands--as if he was memorizing the feel of it.

So, as you sit and think about these glimpses of Jim’s life, consider that imagine of a classic car, restored and whole. Each of us here today, knows different pieces, many of us share some and some of us have pieces known only to us. It’s up to us to celebrate the life of Jim Smith.


HOMILY DELIVERED BY FR. RICK SPICER:

On Easter Sunday, the day Jim died, we celebrated an event that truly offers hope and comfort to anyone dealing with the reality of death. To better appreciate this mystery of our faith, I want to share a story about a boy named Jeremy; a slow learner who didn’t always understand what was going on. But, when it came to the story of Easter, he understood its message quite well. One afternoon, after sharing with her second grade class the story of Easter, Miss Miller gave each child a plastic egg and told them to come back the next day with something inside that showed new life.

The next morning, the students placed their eggs in a basket on the teacher’s desk. Opening the first egg, Miss Miller found a flower. “Oh, yes,” she said, “a flower certainly is a sign of new life. When plants peek through the ground, we know spring is here.”

The next egg contained a plastic butterfly that looked very real. Miss Miller held it up and said, “We all know, that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. That’s new life too.” Next, she found a rock with moss on it and explained to the class how moss is a sign of new life.

Then Miss Miller opened an empty egg. She didn’t know what to say and was about to move on when Jeremy spoke up, “Miss Miller, aren’t you going to talk about my egg?” “But, Jeremy, your egg is empty.” He then looked her in the eye and softly said, “Yes, Miss Miller, but Jesus’ tomb was empty too.”

Jeremy didn’t flunk the assignment. He understood the most important lesson in Christian faith, one that gives us hope as we gather today to say farewell to Jim, that there is much more to life than what we experience in this lifetime. As Christians, we believe his life hasn't ended; it has changed for the better.

Some people look at death as the end of their existence. For them, life is only a span of time from the womb to the tomb, which for Jim was 66 years, so they see death as the finale of their existence but for Christians, death is really a passage to new horizons.

Another way to understand the Christian view of death is to picture Jim driving his restored corvette. As the car nears the horizon, it grows smaller and smaller until finally it vanishes. It may be out of sight for us, but for those in its port of destination, that car is growing larger. Someday we will all leave this port, we call earth, and for those who want to be with God, their destination is heaven. Imagine now as we pray that Mike is on the other side waiting to welcome his father to heaven.

Jim is gone from our lives yet he remains just as real as any ship that has sailed over the horizon. Out of sight doesn’t mean he is no less real in the memory of those who survive him and to God who is waiting on the other side to welcome him to his eternal banquet. As Christians, echoing Martha, we profess belief in the resurrection not only of Jesus, but also of every person in history who shares this dream.

Jeremy was right. Jesus’ tomb is empty and someday our tombs will be empty too. If we share his conviction, we will also celebrate the fullness of new life, body and soul, on the other side, where we will find rest from our labors. Alleluia! Easter’s joyous news is this: on that day, Jesus will welcome us along with Jim to that place we call heaven, that place which will be our home forever.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James Stafford Smith, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.