DR. JAMES SMITH III

Dr. James Arthur “Jimbo” Smith III, 87, died July 6, 2026, at his home in Lexington with his wife of 26 years by his side. 

He was born Oct. 29, 1938, in Birmingham, Ala., to James Arthur Smith Jr. and Sarah Orr Smith. In his early years he was educated in the Birmingham schools. He was active in the Boy Scouts and became an Eagle Scout in November of 1952. He graduated from Indian Springs School, Pelham, Ala., in 1956 and was a member of the Sigma Fraternity.

In the fall of 1956, Jimbo entered the Virginia Military Institute where he majored in chemistry. He enthusiastically served on the Honor Court and as captain of A Company. He was proud to be a loyal member of the class of 1960. He would later serve his class as Class Agent and enjoyed talking with his Brother Rats on their birthdays. He was inducted into the Beta Chapter of Kappa Alpha after his graduation.

In the fall of 1960, he entered the MedicalCollege of the University of Alabama in Birmingham where he also completed his surgical residency in 1968. He was always very proud of his relationship with the University of Alabama and followed the Crimson Tide faithfully all of his life.

After completing his General Surgical training he entered the United States Army and was stationed in California. As a captain in the army, he deployed to Vietnam where he served a year as a surgeon in the hospital in Saigon.

Upon completion of his military service, Jimbo moved his family to California where he practiced with the Kaiser Permanente Hospitals. After working there for a couple of years, Jimbo took his family to Houston, Texas, where he did a fellowship in cancer at M.D. AndersonHospital.

In 1974, the family moved to Lynchburg where he practiced general surgery for the rest of his career. He was in the practice of Pugh, Haynesworth, Owen and Hill for many years. After practicing a short time in a solo practice, he and David Hill formed a partnership and continued to practice together until Jimbo’s retirement in 2001. During his time in Lynchburg, he was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church where he served on their Vestry.

In 2000, he married Ruth Drewry Wills and they began their many adventures aboard their sailboat “Precious Time.” They traveled all up and down the Inter-coastal Waterway making new friends and enjoying their life together. In 2002, the couple came ashore and settled in St. James Plantation, N.C., becoming very involved their community. Jimbo was a member of St. Philips Episcopal Church serving on the Vestry numerous times and starting a Monday lunch program for the community and a monthly breakfast for the congregation. He also served on a committee for the St. James Fire Department that helped bring an ambulance to St. James. He played golf regularly in lots of groups and enjoyed meeting all of the people in the community.

In 2008, Jimbo decided he would like to go back into the practice of medicine and help in underdeveloped countries. He teamed up with Medical Ministry International and for the next 13 years he would go to the Dominican Republic four times a year for two weeks and perform surgeries. He made many lifetime friends. In order to help the organization he and his friend Wayne Moody organized golf a tournament (The Jimbo and Ruth Smith Golf Classic) each year to raise money to purchase equipment for the projects. These tournaments were very successful and enjoyed each year. 

In 2021, the couple moved to Lexington, home of his alma mater. He was able to reconnect with many old friends and loved his time in Lexington. As a member of Grace Episcopal Church, he served as an usher and greeter and attended the Tuesday Morning Men’s Bible Group. He was a volunteer at ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice.

Jimbo was an enthusiastic member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 33 years and was greatly loved and admired. His wit enlivened the meetings. He was dedicated to the principle of service and carried the message into the prisons and jails in Brunswick County, North Carolina and Rockbridge County. He was always willing to share his story and help others when needed.

Jimbo will always be remembered for his love of his family, mankind and his God, his sense of humor and his jokes, his kindness and caring, his loyalty and his love of Jimmy Buffet. He was a special person, one of the really good guys.

Jimbo is survived by his wife Ruth; four children, James Arthur Smith IV (Ashley) of Birmingham, Ala., Brett Rutledge Smith (Barb) of Isle of Palm, S.C., Sarah Smith Williamson (Alan) of Lynchburg and Melissa Smith Whitehead (Robert ) of Richmond; two step-children, Drewry Wills Mitchell (Alex) of Durham, N.C., and Waller Garland Wills IV of Greenville, S.C. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, George, Arthur, Laney, Carter, Lucy, Rutledge, Harper, Sam, Charlie, Amelia, Jack, Will, Christopher, Henry, Lila and Emme. He is also survived by his precious great-grandson, Beckham, and his brother, William Orr Smith (Judy) of Richmond. He was predeceased by his parents, his second wife Donna Hladik Smith and his daughter Allison Elizabeth Smith.

The family would like to thank ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice and TLC Care and their Angels for the exceptional care and help that they have given Jimbo during his last days. Also many thanks to the members of the local AA groups for their care and support.

A memorial service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church on Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial to Virginia Military Institute, ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice, Grace Episcopal Church or a charity of your choice. 

Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory.