James E Smith

Jim was born in Shreveport, LA, on May 4, 1929 to the late Samuel Lawrence and Eddie Mae Prothro Smith. Jim’s full life began in the community of Cedar Grove, just outside Shreveport. He participated in ROTC, played football at Fairpark High School, and went on to get his GED after joining the military near the end of WWII. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he trained as a tail gunner on the B-17 Flying Fortress, served on B-29 Superfortresses, and performed R&D troubleshooting on B-36 Peacemakers. In full transparency, it is important to note that Jim suffered from motion sickness and always hated flying in airplanes.

After his time in the military, Jim went on to pursue a life in sales, starting in life insurance, moving to mattresses and furniture, and returning to property and casualty insurance. His career pursuits took him from Louisiana to Dallas, TX, to High Point, NC, to Houston, TX, where he started and managed his own insurance agency for more than 20 years.

Ever the consummate salesman, Jim was known for his dogged pursuit of sales prospects. Whether at social and community events, political functions, church or family gatherings, everyone Jim met was a potential customer … and he did his best to close the sale, wherever that might need to happen.

Jim and his first wife, Janice Marie Rowland, raised three children in Louisiana and Texas, where they enjoyed square dancing and community service in and around Friendswood. After Janice passed away, Jim was blessed to find a soul mate in Marcia Hartman. Jim and Marcia were married in 1990. Marcia brought with her three sons from a previous marriage. The collective family continued their active lifestyle, and Jim and Marcia enjoyed square dancing, traveling, gardening and growing their insurance agency.

Jim is survived by his wife, Marcia, six children and their spouses: Lynn Smith-Cronin and husband, Bobby, of Humble, TX; Lee Smith and wife Carolyn, of Deer Park, TX; Kelly Smith and wife Deborah, of Kings Mills, OH; John Hartman and wife Amy, of Austin, TX; Ben Hartman and wife Ava, of Portland, OR; and Paul Hartman and wife Karol, of Richmond, TX. He is also survived by his sister, Sammie Buchanan, of Austin, TX, a niece, two nephews, and seventeen grandchildren.