Memorial
James Smalldridge passed away on September 15, 2022 because that’s what people do. He is preceded in death by everyone who has already gone and survived by those who haven’t. Jim was born in Iowa Falls and raised in Clear Lake, IA with his two sisters. He shared many stories of his youth and one of his proudest achievements was becoming an Eagle Scout in 1956. He enjoyed all the high school fame of a mediocre basketball player and remained tall the rest of his life. After a brief stint in Chicago, he landed in Cedar Rapids where he met and married Corrine Geesaman. That union gave him two daughters and in turn four grandchildren. Despite the marriage ending, they remained steady in parenting and prioritized family. The girls fondly recall many, many trips to the lake and driving around exploring nature.
A design engineer by trade, he worked at Collins, Norand, JTEC, & JEAdams followed by various contract jobs as he saw fit. He enjoyed several hobbies and through the years had been active in MAPS (fossils), CVRMS (rocks), and EIAA (fish) to name a few. Jim was a lifelong learner and almost always up for a discussion on any topic. He will be sorely missed.
His daughters Julie and Vicki, along with their families, invite you to join them in celebrating the lives of both parents on Tuesday, September 20 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.