James Edward Smyth, Jr. passed away on March 6, 2018 in his home in Carthage, Missouri. He was born September 27, 1931 in Estill County, Kentucky. Jim was one of sixteen children born to James Edward and Mary Ellen Smyth. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and all but one of his siblings.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951-1955. Part of his service in the Navy was spent on a cargo ship to Japan, and he also served at Pearl Harbor during the Korean War. After returning from the Navy, he went to Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated in 1959. He worked for Browning Turkey Farms in Winchester, Kentucky as a purchasing agent.
On June 8, 1964, he married Sue Williams in Flemingsburg, Kentucky. They moved to Cadiz, Kentucky in 1969 where he worked for Hoover Ball and Bearing; then came to Carthage where he worked for Morrow Foods and ConAgra for twenty years as the Human Resources manager.
After retirement, Jim and Sue owned and operated Smyth's Flowers and Gifts in Jasper, Missouri. Two years later, Jim became the Human Resources manager for Moark in Neosho, Misssouri.
From 2000 to 2004, he and Sue were managers of the Gardens at Arkanshire, a large retirement community in Springdale, Arkansas.
Jim loved his children, including son Derek Smyth and his wife Marsha of Carthage, Missouri, and daughter Jodi Rogers and her husband Keith of Joplin, Missouri. His grandchildren were the “fun” in his life, including Morgan Storm and husband Preston, Drake Smyth and wife Gina, Ellen Smith and husband Sullivan, Seth Rogers, and Abi Rogers. He was also great-grandfather to Beckett and Pike Storm.
He spent a lot of hours volunteering at the Carthage Crisis Center, assisting them with organization, as well as helping them decorate their new quarters. He was a very talented artist, woodworker, decorator, florist, and upholsterer. He created a beautiful home for his family filled with his work.
Jim was a member of College Heights Christian Church where he taught Sunday School and served as an elder for many years.
A Celebration of Life service will be held in the College Heights Christian Church chapel on Friday, March 9 at 10:30. Burial will be at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you contribute to the Carthage Crisis Center or God’s Resort in Joplin, Missouri, as both ministries were near to Jim’s heart. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Mason-Woodard Mortuary and Crematory of Joplin, Mo.
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