SALEM, Ohio – A barn fan apparently electrocuted and killed 11-year-old J.R. Smith of Salem Aug. 7.
Police reports say the boy’s father, Roy, called for help from the family’s home on West Middletown Road north of Salem Sunday evening shortly before 9 p.m.
Damascus Volunteer Fire Department and Rural Metro ambulance personnel treated the unconscious boy at the farm before transporting him to Salem Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Damascus Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Bricker said the county coroner is investigating, but it appears the boy was shocked by a fan in the family’s hog barn.
A 4-H’er. The son of Roy and Shelly Smith, J.R. was an active 4-H’er in Mahoning County’s Goshen Good Growers 4-H club.
He raised hogs and rabbits and had won beginner’s hog showmanship at the 2004 Canfield Fair.
Help the family. Besides his parents, he leaves a sister, Amanda, and a brother, Jacob, at home, and many other relatives.
Friends of the family have set up the J.R. Smith Memorial Fund through Farmers National Bank.
Funds gathered there will help the family cover expenses, according to Rhonda Frantz.
Donations can be made at any Farmers branch or by mail to Farmers National Bank, J.R. Smith Memorial Fund, 20 S. Broad St., P.O. Box 555, Canfield, OH 44406.
Related obituary:
James Robert “J.R.” Smith
SALEM, Ohio – James Robert “J.R.” Smith, 11, of 12279 W. Middletown Road, Salem, died at 8:50 p.m. Aug. 7 at his home.
He was born July 8, 1994, in Salem to Roy and Shelly Deuvall Smith.
He attended the Damascus Friends Church and would have entered the fifth grade at Damascus Elementary this fall. He was an honor student.
J.R. was a member of the Goshen Good Growers 4-H club and raised hogs and rabbits.
Besides his parents, he leaves a sister, Amanda, and a brother, Jacob, at home. He’s also survived by his grandparents, Peggy Smith of Salem and Ron Smith of Lisbon; an aunt, Tina Christopher of West Lafayette, Ind., and two uncles, Pete Smith of Salem and Rex Smith of Diamond, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by an aunt, Cindi Feess, and grandparents Robert and Jean Deuvall.
Services will be held Aug. 11 at 11 a.m. at the Stark Memorial Funeral Home in Salem with the Rev. Steve Lowe and Rich Costal officiating. Burial will be at Highland Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions may be made to the J.R. Smith Fund through the West Branch Athletic Booster Club, P.O. Box 195, Beloit, OH 44609.
