James Donald Smith

James Donald Smith, Donnie to his family, went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at the age of 59, in San Angelo, Texas.

Donnie was born on July 27, 1963, in San Angelo to Jimmie Don and Carla (Hoyt) Smith. He attended Goliad Elementary, Lincoln Junior High and Lakeview High.

Throughout his childhood, Donnie was a rambunctious rascal and fun-loving kid of great imagination and inventive spirit.

After high school, Donnie joined the Navy as a machinist’s mate and learned to work on engines and valves on the destroyer U.S.S. John King.

Donnie married the love of his life, Florence Rowland of Chesapeake, Virginia, on June 12, 1984. He and Florence were blessed with two beautiful children: James Donald Smith, Jr, and Jennifer Ann. They lived in Virginia for a brief period, returning to San Angelo to take up residence after he left the service.

After military life, Donnie applied his machinist skills working in the nuclear power industry, traveling between facilities to work outages at plants across the United States.

He was a veteran, a son, a brother, a father, an uncle, a cousin, and the best of friends to his friends. He was passionate about astronomy, chemistry, and math and was always bettering his knowledge of something just for the fun of it. He had the most in-depth knowledge of the music he enjoyed and the most giving heart and loving soul.

And we dearly love him and miss him.

Three of his loved ones preceded him in death: his lovely wife, Florence; his father, Jimmie Don; and his precious grandmother, Lola Mae (Burns) Hoyt.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are:

son James of Farmer’s Branch, Texas

daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Andrew Tiedt of Wilmington, North Carolina

mother Carla Smith of San Angelo, Texas

brother Michael Richard Smith, sister-in-law Robin Dehnel and niece Berit of Grapecreek, Texas

brother Steven Ray Smith, sister-in-law Lissette and two nieces Logan and Sarah of Casselberry, Florida

The family tally must count the people who share Donnie’s genetic makeup and shaped his becoming:

uncle and aunt, Richard and Carol Hoyt of El Cajon, California

aunt and uncle, Suzanne and Michael Carroll of Northlake, Texas

cousin Jim Bullock, wife Lee and son Corbin, of Plano, Texas, and family of his cousin Rebecca Bullock Elosegui, who preceded him in death but left him second cousins, Nick, Faith and Shane, and their dad Ruben to entertain him

second cousin James Burns, who has always been a faithful friend and devoted family member

John 14:1-3 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.