James Hammond Smoak

Jim Smoak - Lexington - A memorial service for James Hammond "J.H." Smoak, 93, formerly of Columbia, will be held at 2:00 PM, Sunday, March 8, 2015 at Riverbend Community Church, 1015 Corley Mill Road, Lexington, SC, 29072. Rev. Dan Rummel, Mr. Allan Whitacre and Rev. Eugene Tidwell will officiate. The family will receive friends at 2:00 PM at the church, followed by the service. Interment with military honors will follow at Woodridge Memorial Park, 138 Corley Mill Road, Lexington, SC 29072. Jim went to be with his Lord Thursday, March 5, 2015 at his home, after an extended illness. Born in Smoaks, SC, he was the eldest son of the late Andrew Laurie and Mamie Carter Smoak. After graduating from Smoaks High School and Orangeburg Business School, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Jim graduated from Anderson Aircraft School in Nashville, TN, and was then stationed in nearby Smyrna, TN. During this time ,he met Dorothy Dean, his future wife on a blind date. They were married in April, 1946. They moved to Columbia, SC in 1951, where he was employed by Rosewood Furniture Company, and later managed Richland Galleries. In 1961, Jim opened Smoak Furniture on Devine Street. His love of people was evident in everything he did, from his business dealings to his work , as a deacon and elder of benevolence at Shandon Church of Christ. Jim was also on the Board of Directors at Southeastern Children's Home in Duncan, SC. After his retirement, he and Dot moved to Lexington, SC, where they spent many happy years living on a horse farm. He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Dorothy "Dot" Louise Dean Smoak; daughters, Cathy S. Wells (Kenyon) of Lexington; Betty S. Sofge (Glenn) of Kennesaw, GA; loving grandchildren, Kendall Wells Pickens, J. Kenyon Wells, Jameson Sofge and Meagan Sofge Chambers; great-grandchildren, Caroline, Sarah, Rosaleigh, Cami and Addi; brother, Gene Smoak (Sarah) of Cottageville, SC, and a large and loving extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Laurie Smoak, Jr. and Ed Smoak. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Southeastern Children's Home, P.O. Box 339, Duncan, SC 29334. The family would like to thank all of his faithful and loving caregivers, who greatly contributed to his longevity and overall quality of life; Senior Care Associates, David Miller, NP and the staff of Tidewater Hospice.