SR1093LRB102 28196 LAW 40004 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Colonel James Andrew Smith Jr.,
4Illinois Army National Guard (Ret.) of Chatham, who passed
5away on May 11, 2022; and
 
6    WHEREAS, James Smith was born to James Andrew Smith Sr.
7and Alex Lim Clark in Cleveland, Mississippi on December 28,
81959; he married Nilsa Bruno in St. Louis, Missouri on
9September 22, 1984; and
 
10    WHEREAS, James Smith began his military career as an
11enlisted soldier in 1977, commissioning through the Illinois
12Army National Guard Officer Candidate School in 1982; he spent
13his early years as a young officer in the 3rd Battalion, 130th
14Infantry Regiment based in East St. Louis; he managed the East
15St. Louis Armory and became respected as a member of the
16Illinois Army National Guard; and
 
17    WHEREAS, James Smith served in various staff and
18leadership positions before taking command of the Company C,
193rd Battalion, 130th Infantry based in Salem; after company
20command, he served as assistant S-3 of the 33rd Infantry
21Brigade before serving as commander of the brigade's
22headquarters company and finally as commander of brigade S-2;

 

 

SR1093- 2 -LRB102 28196 LAW 40004 r

1he served as the executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 131st
2Infantry Regiment based in Joliet in 1995; he served as an
3operations and training officer at the Illinois Army National
4Guard headquarters in Springfield in 1998; he was appointed
5commander of the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment in
6Chicago in 1999; after two years in command, he was
7transferred to the 33rd Area Support Group (ASG), where he
8helped coordinate the unit's response to the terrorist attacks
9of September 11, 2001; and
 
10    WHEREAS, James Smith was appointed as the deputy chief of
11staff for Personnel (G-1) in 2003, where he played an integral
12role in preparing the Illinois Army National Guard units for
13deployment to Iraq and then Afghanistan before being appointed
14as the chief of staff of the Illinois Army National Guard, a
15position from which he retired in 2008; he was then appointed
16as the chief of staff of the Illinois Department of Military
17Affairs that same year, where his successes continued; and
 
18    WHEREAS, James Smith was an advocate and served as
19executive director for the Lincoln's Challenge Academy; he was
20also actively involved with the Illinois Military Family
21Relief Fund, the Illinois State Military Museum, the National
22Guard Association of Illinois, and, most of all, the soldiers
23and airmen of the Illinois National Guard and their families;
24and
 

 

 

SR1093- 3 -LRB102 28196 LAW 40004 r

1    WHEREAS, James Smith was proud of being an infantry
2officer, a devout Catholic, and an unwavering St. Louis
3Cardinals fan; in his spare time, he enjoyed reading, camping,
4and traveling; and
 
5    WHEREAS, James Smith was preceded in death by his father;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, James Smith is survived by his wife, Nilsa Smith;
8his son, Samuel Smith; his mother, Alex Lim Clark; his
9siblings, Reginald (Yvonne) Smith, Reba Smith, Ericka Smith,
10Denise Hampton, and Rebecca (Stevie) Smith-Bowen; and his
11beloved dog, Timber; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Colonel James Andrew Smith Jr., Illinois Army National Guard
15(Ret.) and extend our sincere condolences to his family,
16friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of James Smith as an expression of our
19deepest sympathy.