James Monroe Smith (1871-1952)

SMITH, JOHNSON, BEECHLER, NESSA

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/14/2016 at 07:23:17

From Story City Herald August 21, 1952 (front page)

J. M. Smith Died Saturday Evening

Funeral service were held yesterday at Grace church following a prayer service in the Larson-Peterson funeral home for J. M. Smith, 80, who died Saturday night at his home here following an illness of 11 weeks.

Rev. Winter officiated at both services and burial was in the Center cemetery southwest of here.

Pallbearer were Cornelius Hanson, John Springman, Guy Rod, Homer Jackson, Theroy Wierson and Andrew Hanson.

Mrs. John Howell and Mrs. Luther Matson sang two numbers "Sweet Bye and Bye" and "Near in the Heart of God."

JAMES M. SMITH

James Monroe Smith, son of James Thos. and Susanna Beechler Smith was born Dec. 4, 1871, at Freeport, Ill. He was the last of a family of nine children. When Mr. Smith was but two years of age, he came with his family by way of covered wagon from Illinois to Iowa. He watched this section of the country develop from that early prairie state to the present highly improved state of both farm and town areas.

March 20, 1907, he was united in marriage with Nellie Johnson by Rev. Yerger. To this union four children were born, all of whom survive the father. Oct. 5, 1930, he received Christian baptism and on the same day, he was received into the membership of Grace Evangelical United Brethren church at Story City of which church he was a member until his death.

The Smiths farmed south and west of Story City until 1939, when they moved into Story City.

Among his favorite pastimes while he lived in town, were the making of toys for children and visiting with his pioneer friends. Our departed friend and bother had been in his usual fair health, making his daily trips up town, working in the garden and at his hobbies and the like. On June 5, he suffered a severe stoke from which he never rallied. His companion was constantly at his bedside and in spite of what loved ones and medical aid would do, he grew steadily weaker. After ten weeks of illness, last Saturday evening, about 7:50 o'clock, he quietly passed to his eternal reward. He had reached the age of 80 years, 8 months and 12 days.

He leave to mourn his passing his sorrowing widow; four children, Howard, LaVerne and Helen Nessa of Story City vicinity, and Alvin of Webster City.