JAMES R. SMITH

Feb. 5, 1932 - Aug. 10, 2020

James R obert Smith, aka “Bobby”, “JR”, “Junior”, “Jim”, “Dad”, and “Grandad”, 88, of Brawley, C alifornia, passed away peacefully on Monday, A ugust 10, 2020, surrounded by h is family.

He was a true Brawley native, having been born February 5, 1 932, on the family farm east of town, to Robert Ray and Rettie Mae (Orr) Smith, who were pioneering farmers in the Imperial Valley. James was the youngest of their five children and was brought up on the farm, learning the value of hard work. He attended l ocal s chools, graduating from Brawley Union High School in 1950 and subsequently attending Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. Upon his return f rom college, he took up farming and enjoyed growing cotton, sugar beets and alfalfa, as well as many other crops for over 60 years. His hard work and dedication allowed him to r aise his family and provide them with many opportunities for their futures. He was an i nnovator and was one of t he first to implement many new farming techniques. He and his brother, Bill, were among the first in the Imperial Valley to install French drainage.

James was married for 59 y ears, until her death in 2 011, to Barbara Ann (Owens) Smith, his high school sweetheart. J ames and Barbara raised four children in Brawley. James loved his family more t han anything, and was a loving and loyal husband, father, son, brother and friend. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, whether it was at t he desert, a t the beach, at home, on one of their many spur of t he moment adventurous car trips, or on the farm. He was always a supporter of t heir interests, whether it was playing piano, riding motorcycles, traveling around the world, or playing baseball or football. All his children, but especially his sons, grew up spending valuable time with h im, at work and play, on the farm.

James is survived by and will be greatly missed by h is children: Kathy ( Bill) Worrell, Bruce (Dorothy) Smith, David (Michele) Smith, Leslie (Teresa) Smith; his grandchildren: Craig (Dana) Smith, April (Troy) Hutchinson, Hilary (Greg) O’Bryan, Emily Worrell, Michael (Lauren) Worrell, Sarah (Ryan) Reed, Cameron (Cecilia) Smith, Christina Smith, Candace (Jason) Frandsen, Owen S mith, and Leslie Ann Smith; and his great- grandchildren; Bridget, Oliver and Ben O’Bryan, Jenson Worrell, Jadyn Yturralde, Dyson, Kasyn and Addyson Smith, Payton and Smith H utchinson, and Jaxon and Ryker Frandsen. He was looking forward to t he arrival of two more great- grandchildren, and his first great- great grandchild this fall.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to Pat and all h er staff at Vintage Village Assisted Living in El Centro for their loving care of h im in his last years.

A private g raveside service will be held and he will be interred a t Riverview C emetery in Brawley next to h is beloved wife, Barbara.