James Albert Smith

It is with heavy hearts that we report the passing of our dad, James Albert Smith, on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice in Kamloops, two days short of his 93rd birthday.

Jim was born on March 20, 1928 at Hardisty, Alberta, the youngest of four kids. He grew up on a homestead along the Battle River. His parents were Edward King Smith and Elizabeth Marie Barber. After his Dad passed when Jim was eleven, his mother remarried and they moved out to Victoria BC, where Jim graduated High School. After finishing school, he worked around the province, finally ending up being employed by the BC Power Commission where he apprenticed and became a journeyman lineman at Kamloops. It was while working out of Kamloops that he met the love of his life Margaret (Peggy) Riddell at Chase BC. They were married on 30 Dec, 1954. Peg had two small children from a previous marriage that Jim adopted and raised as his own. After completing his apprenticeship in 1956, Jim and Peg moved the family to Victoria. It was there that their son Charles was born in 1957.

In 1965 they moved the family to Armstrong in the Okanagan. It was a time of huge transmission power line construction in the province of BC and Jim was good at his job. As a supervisor he worked for numerous contractors around the province and as far away as Dawson City in the Yukon. He was away from home a lot and it was hard on family. Finally in 1969 Jim settled down to work for BC Hydro Force Construction out of Vernon and eventually he and Peg fulfilled their lifelong dream of raising cattle. They purchased a small farm at Grindrod, B.C. and established Grandview Limousin in 1972, raising purebred Limousin cattle. Wishing to expand their herd, Jim and Peg bought a larger farm at Darfield, BC in 1980. The years they spent there were not only filled with hard work but also with fond memories made with family and friends. Jim retired from BC Hydro in 1988, sold the farm in 1990 and they retired to Logan Lake, BC. Their favourite pastime after retirement was deep sea fishing. Numerous trips with friends and family were made on their boat which they kept moored at Kitimat, BC.

Jim will be lovingly remembered by his children George (Joanne) Smith, Shirley “Nan” (Bernard) Wesselingh and Charles “Butch” Smith; grandchildren Ken (Diane) Hughes, Teresa (Jesse) Welsh, Wayne (Amanda) Smith and Kristy Zanella; as well as eleven great – grandchildren. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Jim was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Margaret Lillian Riddell, (who passed on 4 Apr 2013); his parents Edward King Smith and Elizabeth Marie Barber, his step-father Thomas “Tippy” O’Neill; his sister Edna (Bob) Selover and brothers George (Pat) Smith and Lawrence “Pete” (Ellen) Smith.

It was Jim’s desire that no service be held. He will be laid to rest with Peg at the Chase Cemetery at a later date. The family would like to thank the staff at the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice for taking such good care of Dad in his last days. In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations in his name can be made to the Kamloops Hospice Association at 72 Whiteshield Crescent, Kamloops, BC V2E 2S9 or the Heart and Stroke Foundation at 729 Victoria St, Kamloops, BC V2C 2B5.