James A. Smith, 77, passed away suddenly on Monday, July 5, 2021. He is preceded in death by his loving parents, Arthur A. Smith, and Sarah Elsie Renfroe Smith. He was the oldest of 5 siblings, James, John, Joseph, Jeffrey, and Rebecca Jane. He was known by friends and family as Smitty, Jimmy, Jim, Honey and Poppy.

Born in Gulfport, MS, he moved to Pace, FL where he spent his childhood on Escambia River, bird and squirrel hunting and fishing at his Grandmother Ruby's "Smith's Fish Camp" on Hwy 90. He later moved to Pensacola where he attended Clubbs Jr. High, Pensacola High, and Pensacola Jr. College, which is now a State College. He played a trombone in the PHS band and was proud that his band was chosen to march in the inaugural parade in Washington D.C. for President John F. Kennedy.

He was employed for 30 years as a photo lab tech by his Aunt and Uncle, Ruth and Gene Stone of Stone's Studio Inc. school photography. He had an extensive knowledge of chemistry and the development of pictures and held a certificate of training from the Eastman Kodak School in Rochester, NY.

The next 25 years, he worked for Williams Service of Florida, a Trane company and was General Manager of the parts department and warehouse. He supplied his techs with commercial equipment that was needed at the job sites on Military Bases, Hospitals, and Nuclear Power Plants in most of the southern states.

He loved his family and friends with all his heart and was kind and generous to all who needed help. He loved motorcycles, cars, guns, shooting turtles on Deer Lake and Golden Ponds and riding bicycles with his brothers and his grandchildren.

He and his wife, Jane, enjoyed scuba diving on shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico and cave diving in many of the freshwater springs all throughout Florida. Their greatest scuba adventure was on the great Barrier Reef off Lady Elliot Island, Australia.

He and Jane were avid motorcyclists and spent many weekends riding in races and enduros. He was the President of Five Flags Motorcycle Club of Pensacola. He loved to brag that his wife had more trophies than he did, but back then there were very few female bikers. He loved taking road trips with his buddies. They would gear up, hop on their bikes, and head to Daytona Speed week or the Barber Museum in Birmingham, AL. Twice he and his friends rode to upper state New York to the Finger Lakes and on to Canada to Niagara Falls. They loved their adventures but were always happy to come home.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jane McClellan Smith; daughter, Christen VanGilder (Rick); grandson, Jameson; granddaughter, Ella; his brothers and sister and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. A special thanks to Christen, niece Sara Smith Tomkins, brother Jeff and wife Cam, brother John and nephew Jason, niece and nephew Cathy and Sonny Holley and friend Helen for being there with their love and support in his final days. Thanks also to Phillip and Carrie at Emerald Coast Hospice and Tanner at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel for their compassion and expertise – and that midnight run.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Bonefish Grill on Thursday, August 19, 2021, what would have been his 78 ^th birthday. The time 4:00 pm – 7:00pm. Please join us for his celebration. Refreshments will be served, and masks are encouraged due to the new spread of Covid-19.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Emerald Coast Hospice, 5111 North 12 ^th Ave. Suite B Pensacola, FL 32504, or St. Jude Children's Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105.