James Smith

Longtime resident


of Stillwater, MN


Passed away at Regions Hospital on December 1, 2011. Survived by his wife, Jayne Finnegan Smith; daughter, Heidi Smith Erspamer; son-in-law, David Erspamer and grandchildren, Jonathan and Jessica Erspamer of Amery, WI. Jim proudly served his country during WWII as a Marine, 3rd wave 5th Division on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima during the historic flag raising. He was very proud of his four years in the Marines and loyal to his country. Jim was a graduate of the Univ of MN, also attended University of Chicago and Colorado State Univ. in Fort Collins. He was an employee of Ellerbe Architects and retired after 30 years and was former co-owner of Stillwater Realty. Jim was a member of the VFW, American Legion, and Masonic Lodge. Jim's great grandparents, John and Ingrid Christina (Johnson) Smith moved to Chicago in 1853. When a cholera epidemic in Illinois took 4 of the six Smith children, John and Ingrid moved to Stillwater in 1865. Shortly after that John passed away, Ingrid opened "Ma Smiths' boarding house" in the location of the territorial prison and the main street steps. Many of the prison guards lived and ate their meals at the boarding house. The Smith's became one of the first Swedish families that remained in Minnesota. They built the original Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater at the location of the boarding house in 1871. Service Thursday, December 8, 2011 12:00 P.M. at TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, 115 North Fourth Street, Stillwater. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Visitation Wednesday, December 7, 2011 (Pearl Harbor Day) 4:00-7:00 P.M. at BRADSHAW CELEBRATION OF LIFE CENTER, 2800 Curve Crest Boulevard (NW corner of Hwy 36 & Co Rd 5), Stillwater and also one hour prior to the service at church. Memorials preferred to the St Croix Valley Foundation-Jonathan Patrick Erspamer Fund in support of local disability programs and services, www.scvfoundation.org.