James F. Smith

Waltham – Mr. James F. Smith, of Waltham, died Friday, October 9, 2015 at Woburn Nursing Center. He was 99.

Jim was born in Waltham on September 27, 1916, a son of the late Joseph and Angeline (Murphy) Smith, and had been a lifelong resident. He was a graduate of Saint Mary's High School in Waltham and attended Franklin Institute in Boston.

During World War II he served as a petty officer with the United States Navy aboard the USS Charles Carroll, a Crescent-Class attack transport ship. After the war Jim came home and began a forty-two year career as a signal foreman for the Boston & Maine Railroad.

He was a longtime parishioner of Saint Jude Church in Waltham and belonged to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 953 in Waltham. Jim was also a member of Local No. 120 and Waverley Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1272 in Belmont.

The husband of the late Mary G. (Greelish) Smith, he leaves his children, Kevin J. Smith and his wife, Jo Ellen, of Ipswich, Lois M. Smith Martin and her husband, Scott, and Elaine A. Pugliese and her husband, Frank, all of Burlington; his grandchildren, Nicholas and his wife, Amy, Christopher and Tara Pugliese; his great-grandchildren, Luke and Henry Pugliese; his brother and sister, John Smith of Colorado Springs, Colorado and E. Doris Bourgeois of Orlando, Florida and many nieces and nephews.

Jim was also a brother of the late Rosalee Sweeney and Mary Gardner.

Family friends will honor and remember Jim's life by gathering to visit in the Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Thursday morning, October 15th from 9 to 10 a.m. before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472.