James Smith

1936 - 2023

James Smith
03/24/1936 - 04/24/2023
James "Jim" Isaac Smith, Jr. released his final exhale on April 24, 2023 at the age of 87. Jim was born on March 24, 1936 in Marmet, WV, the eldest of three children to Margaret and James I. Smith. The family moved to Groves, TX in Jim's early years, where he completed high school.

Jim began college at Lamar University in Beaumont and finished his BBA at The University of Texas at Austin and his JD from UT School of Law, both in 1959. He served in the Army Reserves and spent one summer working for the Forest Service in California. Jim started his career in the Harris County DA's office where, in a few short years, he was Chief Capital Prosecutor for criminal court. He spent the rest of his 50-year career in private practice litigation at Showalter Law; Glast, Phillips & Murray; Butler & Binion; Ryan & Smith; and Barrow, Bland & Rehmet. He was a lecturer at the University of Houston for several years and was a frequent panelist on presentations for physicians' continuing education. He was generous with pro bono work for organizations that were important to him and his family. Jim was admitted to practice law in state and multiple federal courts, as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Sailing, visiting museums, reading, swimming, cooking and spending time with his family were Jim's passions and what brought him great joy. Jim was a true patron of the arts and loved attending live musical and theatrical performances. Known for his wit, stories, easy smile, and generous laugh, Jim was a joy to be around and was curious about each person he met.

Jim is deeply loved and survived by his wife of 51 years, his "Dear Darling Donna" (nee Magnuson); daughters and their spouses Amanda and James Faucett and Jessica and Jonathan Perry; grandchildren Jacob, Julianne, and Dylan; brother Victor Smith and sister Sue Steen; and several nieces and nephews.

In January 2022 Jim was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), having been first diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019. PSP is a devastating rare brain disease without treatment or a cure. Please consider a donation to Cure PSP in Jim's honor, https://www.psp.org/.