HOMER — James Oliver Smith of Homer passed away peaceably at home on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
Jim was born on Nov. 23, 1926, the only child of Oliver Francis Smith and Pauline Lena (Yount) Smith. He grew up on the farm on which he spent almost all of his life, except for serving in the Army in Korea in 1945-1946 at the end of WWII. After returning to the States, he attended the University of Illinois and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.
On Sept. 4, 1949, James and Eleanor Louise Yerkes were married. They spent 62 years together on the farm. The couple first lived in an old house without any indoor plumbing. After a few years, James began building a new house by himself; however, he did have to pause the house building for a while because in 1954, all of the farm buildings burned to the ground, and new farm buildings had to be built before continuing with the house. He completed the new house in 1964 and spent the rest of his life living in it.
Jim spent his life farming: row-cropping corn, beans and wheat. For most of his adult life, he had a feedlot in which he fed out steers. They also had chickens and occasionally some other fowl. He was an innovative farmer and one of the first in the area to use a tracked tractor for field work. He often incorporated recycled materials into his outbuildings or used repurposed sheds purchased from other farms.
Jim began his love of birds and fishing when he was a child, hanging out by himself on the farm. He built ponds on his farm where he could fish and went on at least one trip a year which included fishing. Later in life, many of his trips involved birding. During retirement, Jim became aware of the decline of the Eastern Bluebird. He built nest boxes, put them up around the farm and monitored their success at fledging baby bluebirds. When he finished putting up boxes on his farm, along with the Middlefork Audubon Society and the East Central Illinois Bluebird Society, he established a network of nest box trails in both Champaign and Vermilion counties and invited many people to monitor the boxes and discover the joy he knew of birds and nature.
Jim was a lifetime member of the Farm Bureau and a life member of National Audubon through the Champaign County Chapter. He was also a member of: Illinois Audubon through the Middlefork Chapter, the East Central Illinois Bluebird Society, the Homer Historical Society and the Homer United Methodist Church. During his life, he volunteered his time to many boards and committees.
Jim loved to travel, and Eleanor went with him on almost all of his trips. He traveled all over the U.S. and most of Canada. He enjoyed exploring Iceland, Israel and Jordan, Panama, Trinidad, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Kenya. He enjoyed telling stories about his adventures and would often make presentations about his trips and birding to various groups. He enjoyed sharing nature with all those he met.
Jim also loved canoeing rivers while fishing. He canoed on numerous rivers in the U.S. and Canada and especially enjoyed Quetico Provincial Park with family and friends. One of his biggest adventures was planning and participating in a canoe trip through the inside passage of Alaska with five other friends and family members. Together with his friend, Dan McCollum, he researched the history of and canoed the Vermilion River watershed to write and publish “A Guide to the Big Vermilion River System,” which is still used by many canoe enthusiasts today.
The Salt Fork of the Vermilion River flows through his farm. Jim and Eleanor set aside some of their land along the river into an Illinois Land and Water Reserve so that it will be preserved in its natural state. Scientists continue to conduct research on the land and water in this preserve.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, wife and two sons.
He is survived by his son Thomas Smith (Suzanne) of Homer; daughter Valerie Dent (Ronald) of Cole Camp, Mo.; daughter Lorraine Downing of Goodlettsville, Tenn.; daughter Sharon Brooks (John) of Peyton, Colo.; four grandsons, Jacob Smith, Isaac Brooks, Paul Brooks and Noah Brooks; four granddaughters, Jeanna Thomas, Rachel Smith, Sarah Downing and Amanda Brooks; and four great-grandsons, John Thomas, Owen Thomas, Elijah Brooks and Alex Brooks.
Funeral arrangements are being made by Homer Funeral and Cremation Services. A private burial at GAR Cemetery will be followed by a celebration of life at the Homer Lake Forest Preserve Salt Fork Center on July 6 starting at 10:30a.m. The service will be officiated by Pastor Heju Nam. All are welcome at this celebration and the lunch, which will be served afterward.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Champaign County Forest Preserve District or to the Homer United Methodist Church. Forest preserve donations made in honor of Jim Smith will support the creation of a new and improved Nature Center at Homer Lake Forest Preserve and can be made online at ccfpd.org/foundation or by mail to P.O. Box 1040, Mahomet, IL 61853.
NG 7/2/2023
