James F. Smith, 74, of Batavia, passed away on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at Highland Hospital in Rochester.
Jim was born January 30, 1949, in Peoria, Illinois, a son of the late Harold and Marian (Hammer) Smith.
Jim was a 1966 graduate of Notre Dame High School and a 1967 graduate of Simmons Institute of Funeral Service. He began his professional career at the former C.W. Bohm Mortuary and then at H.E. Turner where he retired from in 2012. During his 40 year career, he opened the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home in Bergen and purchased the Bohm-Calarco-Smith Funeral Home in Batavia and the Burdett & Sanford Funeral Home in Oakfield.
He was a member of Resurrection Parish where he was a lector and was chairman of the church Lawn Fete. Jim was also a member of St. Vincent DePaul Society and was a 4th Degree Knight in the Msgr. Kirby Council Knights of Columbus. An active member of the Batavia Rotary Club, he served on the board of directors, was a past president and Paul Harris Fellow. He was active in the concession stand at Dwyer Stadium in the 1980’s with the Batavia Rotary Club. Jim served with the Army National Guard from 1969-1975. He was a member of the Batavia Area Jaycees and Stafford Country Club, where he served on the Board of Governors and was a past president. He chaired the Batavia Pageant of Bands and was instrumental in the formation of the Hospice Family Care in Genesee County.
Jim was a fan of the Buffalo Sabres, New York Yankees, and the Buffalo Bills, having attended Superbowl XXVI in Minneapolis. He enjoyed traveling, golfing, meeting his friends for coffee and attending his grandchildren’s sporting and musical events.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Mary (Calarco) Smith of Batavia; children, Jason (Lori) Smith of Batavia, Justin (Elizabeth) Calarco-Smith of Elba, Joshua (Kristin) Smith of Batavia and Jenna (Mark) Alexander of Oakfield; grandchildren, Megan Smith, Matthew Smith, Madeline Smith, Noah Calarco-Smith, Nicolas Calarco-Smith, Lucia Calarco-Smith, Caleb Smith, Brendan Smith and Gabby Smith; his sister, Georg Ann (late Thomas) Feldman of South Carolina; brothers-in-law, Anthony (late Judy) Calarco of Batavia and Nicholas (late Marcia) Calarco of Oakfield and several nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Frank J. Calarco, Jr. and sister-in-law, Victoria Moscicki.
Calling hours are Monday and Tuesday from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main Street in Batavia. His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at Resurrection Parish, (St. Joseph’s Church), 303 East Main Street, Batavia. He will be laid to rest in St. Joseph’s Mausoleum, Batavia.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Crossroads House, P.O. Box 403, Batavia, NY 14021, www.crossroadshouse.com/donate, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Inc., 127 North Street, Batavia, NY 14020, www.geneseecancerassistance.org, Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 267, Batavia, NY 14021, www.michaelshope.org or Twenty-Five Neediest Fund, c/o 12 River Street, Batavia, NY 14020.
Please leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.
