He was one of the first to get into the short-wave radio craze and he and his friends would help other people by contacting emergency dispatchers for them or getting roadside assistance on the way.

When he wasn't on his radio or cutting hair, Smith would often be found in his garden where he grew prize 300-pound pumpkins. He was also involved in Scouting and passed on his tradition of building winning Pinewood Derby cars to his son and grandsons.

For the past four years, Jim Smith worked as a crossing guard. His house on 6200 South near 2250 West was just a few hundred feet away from Bennion Elementary School. Each morning, he would walk to the switch located on a pole directly across from his driveway and turn on the sign reminding drivers to slow down.

"He absolutely loved (being a crossing guard) without a doubt," Keith Smith said.

Jim purchased a pair of "big boots" and what he called his furry "Russian hat" that he wore during the winter.

He got to know many of the children. Smith helped many of them cross the street when they went to the elementary school and again after they moved onto the junior high. He had ongoing pranks with some of the children and would pass out pencils for Christmas and Valentine's Day, Keith Smith said.

Before Jim was hit, he had had several other close calls in the past. He used his octagon-shaped hand-held stop sign to get drivers to slow down or pay attention, either by flashing it in front of their faces or tapping or hitting cars that mindlessly blew through the crosswalk.

Jim called his stop sign his "Badge of Courage," his son said. The Smith family now has their father's sign — with its numerous dings and chips, including the large chunk taken out of the upper corner because of his usage of it on careless vehicles. A giant rip down the middle is patched up with glue and staples.

After the accident, Smith could remember some things but family members say he wasn't as sharp as before.

Among the first things he talked about was his wife, his dog "Chelsea" and getting a Diet Coke, Keith Smith said. Jim was the main caregiver for his wife of 52 years, Geraldine, who has suffered a stroke.

The hardest part for Smith's family was his time in the hospital when they knew his injuries were worse than originally believed. But for Jim, his only concern was helping others. He wanted to make sure his wife was taken care of. It was yet another example, his family said, of how Jim thought of others.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com