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Obituary
Smokey made his last jump to go home to God and all his other smokejumper buddies on May 20, 2004. Smokey was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather to all his children and to all his smokejumper sons. Smokey was born James Bennett Stover on July 26, 1921, in Weiser, Idaho. In his lifetime, he resided in Boise, Guam, New Guinea, Australia, Idaho City, and finally his beloved Waldport, Oregon. Smokey fought in World War II and was a smokejumper foreman from 1946-1972. In that time span, he worked with many young men and enjoyed all of their antics. Smokey retired in 1972 from smokejumping and was able to pursue his love of fishing until his death in Waldport, Oregon. Everyone will remember this wonderful man for his extreme patience, fairness, and sense of humor that is matched by none. His favorite enjoyment (besides fishing) was to enjoy his great grandchildren playing and taking his daughters and grandchildren fishing and claming. He was the "recreation director." He was the man who caught fish when there weren't any. Smokey has requested that there be no services, just hold onto your favorite memories and think of him with a smile. Hoot!
Identifier
Stover_James-B-Smokey_McCall_1946
Publication Date
May 2004
Keywords
Smokejumping; Smokejumpers -- United States; National Smokejumper Association; Wildfire fighters; Obituaries
Disciplines
Forest Management
Recommended Citation
National Smokejumper Association, "Smokejumper Obituary: Stover, James B. "Smokey" (McCall 1946)" (2004). Smokejumper Obituaries. 1129.
https://dc.ewu.edu/smokejumper_bios/1129
