James Phillip Smith

 James P. Smith, 89 of Elbow Lake died Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at the Fergus Falls Veterans Home.

James Phillip (Jim) was born on April 16, 1934, to Albert and Bernice (Lang) Carroll in Berkeley, California. He grew up in Oakland, California where he went to school at Oakland Elementary. When he was seven years old, he moved to Big Fork, Minnesota with his grandparents, where he attended Big Fork School, and helped out and worked on his grandparents’ farm. At age sixteen he moved to Minneapolis where he graduated from Minneapolis Tech Institute. Jim enlisted and served in the Army from February 1956 to February 1959. Within three months from being honorably discharged from the Army, Jim was united in marriage to Jeanette Marie Ireland on May 16, 1959, in Hoffman, Minnesota. In this union they raised four children, Lynn, Larry, Susan and Kathy.

Being active was very important to Jim. He was involved as a Firearms Safety instructor, and enjoyed hunting and fishing; and later in life, took up the craft of carving. Jim was also a member of the Lions Club and American Legion of Elbow Lake. He worked at Caterpillar Paving for approximately 20+ years. Most weekends were spent at their cabin on Pomme de Terre Lake, where they built a home in 1980, to where he and Jean later retired.

Preceding Jim in death was his loving wife, Jeanette, and daughter Julie. He is survived by his children Lynn Smith, Larry (Shelley) Carroll, Susan (Alan) Burton and Kathy Smith; grandchildren James & Samuel Carroll, Rachel (Chaz) Williams, Peter & Chader Burton; and great-grandchildren Christian & Bentley Williams.

A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 PM Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the United Lutheran Church, Elbow Lake, with Military Honors and a Warbird Flyover.

Visitation will begin at 12 o’clock noon until the time of the service.

Monetary donations may be sent to Prairie Wood Carvers, 2100 White Oaks Circle NE, Alexandria, MN 56308.

Arrangements by Erickson-Smith Funeral Home of Elbow Lake.