James Smith
Feb. 5, 1932 - Aug. 10, 2020
88, Brawley
James Robert 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 a ttended local 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 c rops 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 innovator and was one of the 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. James and Barbara raised four children in Brawley. James loved his family more than 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 the desert, at the beach, at home, on one of their many spur of the moment adventurous car trips, or on the farm. He was always a supporter of their 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 him, at work and play, on the farm.
James is survived by and will be greatly missed by his 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 Smith, 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 Hutchinson, and Jaxon and R yker Frandsen. He was looking forward to the arrival of two more great- grandchildren, and his first great- great grandchild this fall.
The family extends their heartfelt thanks to Pat and all her staff at Vintage Village Assisted Living in El Centro for their loving care of him in his last years.
A private graveside service will be held and he will be interred at Riverview Cemetery in Brawley next to his beloved wife, Barbara.