Jim W. Blair Jr.

James W. Blair, Jr., Chairman of Smith Tank & Equipment Company, passed away on March 29, 2024, in Tyler. He was 88 years old. Services will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home officiated by Rev. Dr. Stuart G. Baskin of First Presbyterian Church of Tyler, assisted by Rev. Larry Wickham. Visitation is Friday, April 5, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy, Tyler. Pallbearers will be Larry DeSorbo of Las Vegas, NV, JB Smith of Tyler, TX, Paul Gleiser of Dallas, TX, James B. Blair of Draper, UT, Judge Bill Bass, Tim Mullins, and Alan Honeycutt. Jim Blair was born in Douglas, AZ on March 26, 1936. He grew-up in Mill Valley and graduated from Mount Tamalpais High School in 1954. He attended The University of Arizona in Tucson where he earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering. Jim married his college sweetheart and the love of his life Jeanne Daily in 1958. Jim was honored to achieve Master Mason at the Bethlehem Lodge in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1961. Jim was hired into General Electric right out of college. His only son, James Walter Blair III was born in 1962, while Jim worked on nuclear power plants. Jim worked for Handy & Harmon, a Fortune 500 company, based in NYC. They lived in Rye, NY from 1976 until moving to Tyler and buying Smith Tank on April 9, 1985. Jim was an active member of the original Tyler Rotary and the Breakfast/Coffee Clutch of Tyler. Jim and Jeanne both worked in the business until Jeanne passed in 2018. Jim Blair III, joined in 1986, left with his wife and 11-month daughter for IL in 1992, but returned in 1997, now with 3 kids, to the family business. Jim left the Blair family with the Oldest Tank Manufacturing business in Texas, now at 95 years old. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James Walter Blair and wife Edith Blair, wife of 59 years, Jeanne Daily Blair in 2018, sister, numerous uncles and aunts, and granddaughter Savannah Blair in 2018. He is survived by his loving family: son, Jim Blair III; daughter-in-law, Tammy Blair; grandchildren, Sarah Rybicki and husband Trevor and James B. Blair; and 3 great-grandchildren, Christopher Blair, Rhett and Isaac Rybicki, all natural-born Texans. Jim and Tammy intend to manage Smith Tank through its 100-year anniversary, to continue JB1’s Smith Tank legacy. If desired, memorials gifts may be made to Shriner’s Hospital for Children https://donate.lovetotherescue.org.

Jim W. Blair Jr.

March 26, 1936 - March 29, 2024