Carl "JIM" Smith

SMITH, Carl James “Jim” (age 82) – Passed away peacefully on October 24th, 2009. Born in Aberdeen, WA to Claude and Louella Smith, Jim grew up in Portland, OR with his sister, Marian. He graduated from Grant H.S. in 1944 and joined the Army. He spent most of his service time in Hawaii. After the war, Jim attended the University of Oregon receiving a Business degree and a lieutenant’s commission in the Air Force Reserve. Following college, he married Mary Lou McCullough and went to work for West Coast Fast Freight in Eugene, OR. Here his first son, Scott James, was born. Jim moved his family to Moses Lake where he worked as a Terminal Manager for Pacific Intermountain Express, P.I.E.(following their buy out of West Coast Freight). Here their second son, Gregory Lee (Greg) was born. In 1957, the family moved to Concord, CA, where Jim’s third son, Jeffry Douglass was born. Jim then worked for 15 years as P.I.E. Terminal Manager in Yakima, WA. While in Yakima, he did extensive fishing and boating around the Northwest. In an article in the Yakima Herald Republic, “the Smith Family” caught 110 fish in one week around Conkling Park on Coeur d’Alene Lake, (where Jim had spent many summers as he growing up). In 1974, the family moved to Spokane where Jim continued to manage the P.I.E. Terminal until 1988, when he retired to travel with his wife, Mary Lou. Unfortunately, in October of 2000, Jim’s wife of fifty years, Mary Lou, died suddenly of a brain aneurism. Jim remarried, Stevie O’Roarke a few years later and enjoyed many happy years, until diagnosed with dementia in the summer of 2009. He is survived by two sons, Scott and Jeff Smith of Spokane; a niece and nephew, Heather and Bob McCloud of Green Valley, AZ and Seattle, WA. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Lou; son, Greg, and sister, Marian. Jim was a very spiritual man who loved his family, friends, and extended family very much. He will be missed by all. A memorial service will be held at RIPLINGER FUNERAL HOME, 4305 N DIVISION, SPOKANE, WA, with Pastor Al Hulten officiating, on Friday, October 30, 2009 at 3:00 P.M. Private interment will take place at Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery.