Fred Haim Smooha

Fred Haim Smooha, also known as Haim Fred Smooha, passed away on the evening of January 27, 2021 due to complications from COVID-19. He is survived by his sons, Nathan and Joshua, and his siblings Eli and Evelyn.

Haim was born in Baghdad, Iraq on July 6, 1945, but moved to Israel with his family at a young age, where he grew up in Bnei Brak. At the age of 18, Haim began serving in the Israeli army and during his service, he fought in the Six-Day War. After completing his conscription, Haim immigrated to the United States where he was given the legal birthdate of October 11, 1945 and chose the legal name of Fred. Haim built a life for himself in Los Angeles, California - where he met Miriam Smooha, his wife of 33 years. Haim and Miriam spent over twenty years in Los Angeles and started their family there – having their two boys, Nathan and Joshua. He worked as an entrepreneur his entire life, dabbling in many different industries throughout his career.

In 1999, Haim, Miriam, and their two sons relocated to Palm Coast, FL to be closer to Miriam’s family. Years later, after Nathan and Joshua had already moved away for college, Haim and Miriam wanted to retire in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Miriam prematurely passed away in 2012. Haim decided to keep the dream alive by moving to Las Vegas himself in 2014. He spent five years there, spending most of his free time playing poker. But for Haim, poker was never about winning any money, it was his way of enjoying conversations with fascinating new people around his poker table.

Due to health complications derived from a brain tumor, Haim moved back to Los Angeles in 2019, but he fought hard and made a full recovery. He used his remaining years in Los Angeles spending time with family and friends, striking up random conversations with people in the 99 Cents Store, and catching any Lakers games he could.

Haim was a personable man who had many friends and a thirst for life. He always tried to stay in a positive mood, telling stories and jokes to all, and filling his time with activities that brought him joy. Haim was a lover of many sports, including basketball, football, fishing, and hockey. He was an avid hockey player, and a tremendous fan of the Florida State Seminoles and Los Angeles Lakers, never missing a Lakers game in over 40 years of being a fan. Haim loved exploration and traveling, and he especially appreciated nature and visiting national and state parks. He also enjoyed taking time to relax, whether it be his time at the poker table, watching funny movies, or leisurely fishing. Above all, spending time with his two sons gave Haim the most joy in his life, and he was always supportive of them and proud of their accomplishments.

A grave-site funeral service will be held at Fero Memorial Gardens Cemetery, located at 5891 North Lecanto Highway, Beverly Hills, FL 34465. The funeral will be at 10:00 AM EST on Friday, February 5, 2021. In addition, the funeral service will be streamed online for those who cannot attend in person.

Due to his love of the Lakers, in lieu of flowers, donations in Haim’s memory can be made to the Lakers Youth Foundation (www.nba.com/lakers/community/youth_donations). Online Condolences can be shared with the family at www.ferofuneralhome.com