James Harvey Smith, Ph.D., of Tarpon Springs, Florida, passed away peacefully surrounded by family while in hospice care at Mease Countryside Hospital on March 8, 2023. He was 91 years young. Born on Feb. 13, 1932, to farmers Everett and Cassie Smith of Bloomington, Indiana, he was the ninth of 11 children.

Jim graduated from University High School in Bloomington, and Purdue University before serving in the U.S. Army. A lieutenant in the artillery, Jim met his wife, Joanne Cramer (WMSC) while stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. They married on June 25, 1955. In 1959, Jim received his doctorate in poultry genetics from The Ohio State University. He and Joanne moved to Walpole, New Hampshire, where Jim served as vice president of research and development at Hubbard Farms for over 25 years. The couple welcomed their only child in 1964.

An agriculturalist, Jim was an enthusiastic gardener. Well known for his vegetables, he excelled at growing tomatoes and zucchini. From cultivating daylilies in his New Hampshire flower beds, his interests turned to desert landscaping in his later years in Florida. An avid golfer, Jim was a member of seven country clubs during his life, serving as president of both Bellows Falls (Vermont) Country Club and Hooper Country Club in Walpole. His generous gift to help save Hooper from development will preserve the course for future generations.

Jim also spearheaded the effort to build the Walpole Recreational Park and endowed it with funding for ongoing maintenance. Most recently, he paid to have fountains installed in two ponds at Cypress Run Country Club for both aeration and beautification. A fund in Jim's honor will be established for the future beautification of the club and community.

A loving husband, father, grandad and uncle, Jim was a great friend to those that knew him. His admirable work ethic was matched only by his generosity in support of the communities in which he lived and the causes he supported. Jim leaves a quiet legacy that endears and endures. Preceded in death by his parents and all siblings, Jim is survived by his loving wife, Joanne; daughter Vivian and her husband; granddaughter Hannah; and 25 nieces and nephews. He will be remembered both for his sense of decency and his sense of humor, as well as a smile that could light up a room.

The Keene Sentinel, Keene, New Hampshire, April 22, 2023, updated May 29, 2023