TOLEDO-James W. Smith, age 82, of Toledo, died Wednesday, September 24, 2008, at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines following a brief illness. A Memorial Service followed by Masonic Services and Military Honors will be held Monday, September 29, 2008 at 11:00 AM at Christ United Methodist Church Worship Center in Toledo. Private Interment will be held at a future date. Visitation will be held Sunday, September 28, 2008 from 2-4 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.
Jim was born on September 29, 1925, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of James H.and Alice (Funk) Smith.
He graduated from McKinley High School in Cedar Rapids and attended Upper Iowa University. He served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
On November 19, 1953, he was united in marriage to Anna Kunch in Iowa City. Jim was an Iowa Highway Patrolman for thirty-four years. He was a member of the Hiram of Tyre Masonic Lodge #118 AF & AM, El Kahir Shrine in Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Consistory, and was a 33rd Degree Mason. James was a member of the Christ United Methodist Church in Toledo. His hobbies included bird and eagle watching, gardening and following the stock market. He enjoyed talking to people and was an avid outdoor enthusiast, but his greatest enjoyment was spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchild.
Preceding him in death were his parents and one sister, Eileen Smith Webster.
Survivors include his wife Anna of Toledo; one son, James H. (Nancy) Smith II of Toledo; three grandsons, Bradley James, Jared Steven, and James Joshua Smith; and one great grandson, Braden James Vaske-Smith.
Memorials may be directed to Toledo EMS or the El Kahir Shrine Temple for the crippled Children's Hospital.