James Travers "Jt" Smith

Jim passed away suddenly on Friday, December 1, 2023 at Martha Jefferson Hospital.
Jim was born and raised in Hawthorne, NJ to his loving parents James Uriah and Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Smith. The oldest of eight, he often spoke fondly of life in Hawthorne, including stories about his many animals (meadow voles and snakes, among many others) and weekends with his grandpa and the Susquehanna railroad.
Following graduation, Jim went to school and was an apprentice in training, where he learned his trade. In 1969, he ended up in Northern Virginia. After working for a number of companies, he started "Jim Smith Heating and Air Conditioning" in November 1972, which he owned and operated for the entirety of his life. Jim's honesty, dedication, craftsmanship, and kindness were the backbone to his success. He was unmatched in his trade which was evident in his 51 years of service, including the equipment replacement of a 22 and 29 year old system just done this past year.
Jim had many health issues. His heart, which inevitably caused his passing, had a Mobitz II electrical heart block, causing him to receive his first pacemaker at the young age of 45. Due to the severity of this condition, Jim had many pacemakers and was preparing for his 5th sometime this year. He also dealt with complications from hip replacements and back surgery several years ago that robbed him of feeling in his feet and legs for over 15 years. Despite this, Jim never let it stop him.
The family gives their sincerest appreciation to Dr. Elward of Sentara Family Medicine at Belvedere for discovering Jim's heart problems and caring for him for nearly 30 years, to Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital's Cardiology staff for their care since 1995, to Giant Food on Pantops for their love and support, and a huge thank you to the community that supported Jim's business for over 50 years.
In addition to his parents, Jim is preceded in death by his oldest sister, Sherry, who passed away in July. He leaves behind his wife and love of his life of almost 35 years, Erlinda "Lynda" Smith, and his only daughter and son-in-law, Kathleen and David Smith, whom he loved with all his heart. He also leaves his six remaining siblings, Randy, Laurie, Christy, KC, John, and Billy.
A celebration of life will be announced and held sometime in early March. Plans and details can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/james-travers-jim-smith.