SMITH, James A. 1879-1937

SMITH, ROBERTS, DIRKS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/19/2017 at 07:36:10

Obituary James A. Smith

James Andrew Smith was born Oct. 25, 1878, the son of A. D. Smith and his wife Mary Ann, nee Roberts. His place of birth was Houston, Mo., where he attended the public school and later learned the barber trade which he followed with short interruptions all his life.

He came to Iowa in 1903, working some time in Reinbeck and then settling in Holland. Here he married Miss Louise C. Dirks on March 10, 1909, the Rev. Muegge of the Lutheran church performing the marriage. This union was blessed with three daughters, Mary, Viola and Hazel.

On Dec. 21, 1934, his mother was called to rest.

On Aug. 10, 1937, while on an outing he was stricken with apoplexy, causing a hemorrhage of the brain and ending fatally 20 hours later, Aug. 11, at 1:45 p.m. He had never regained consciousness. He reached the age of 58 years, 9 months and 16 days.

While here he conducted a refreshment parlor in connection with his barber shop, a place which he maintained clean and decent, and as such could be entered by any respectable, liberal minded citizen. His friends were many who all testify to his honesty and integrity as a man and citizen.

Besides his widow and daughters, he is survived by his aged father, A. D. Smith, whom he visited only a few weeks ago; and the following brothers and sisters: Ira Smith, of Kansas City, Mo.; Kirby Smith and Mrs. Elsie Clark, both of Houston, Mo.; Hardy Smith, Culver City, Cal.; Earl Smith, Pine City, Minn.; Grady Smith, Titonka, Iowa; Steve Smith, Buffalo, Kans., and Mrs. Neva Nitz, Denver, Colorado.

Relatives at Smith Funeral
Out-of-county relatives in attendance at the funeral service for J. A. Smith were four brothers: Ira Smith of Kansas City; Kirby Smith of Houston, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Smith of Pine City, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Grady Smith and family of Titonka; Herman Nagel, a boyhood friend, of Houston, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Rohde, Mrs. Florence Meyer and Ann Curran, all of Marshalltown; Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Frerichs, Cedar Falls; Mrs. Henry Sonnenberg and daughter Gertie, Titonka; Mrs. Jurgen Reents, Parkersburg.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 19 August 1937, pg 4