Mr. James Ray Smyre Jr., 54, was born in Iredell County on July 29, 1968, to the late James Ray Smyre and Carolyn Keaton Smyre Jones. He entered into eternal rest on Thursday, October 13, 2022, at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville, N.C.

James was a graduate of Statesville Senior High School, Class of 1986. He enjoyed basketball and football, and his favorite teams were the UNC Tar Heels and the Tennessee Titans.

In addition to his parents, James Ray Smyre and Carolyn Keaton Smyre Jones, he was preceded in death by his maternal great grandmother, Estelle Keaton, who partially raised him; a maternal grandmother, Mary “Lib” Iheaton Mills Black; one aunt, Aunt Deborah “Debbie” Keaton; and one uncle, Clinton “Clint” Mills, Jr..

James leaves to cherish the memory of his life his wife, Yvette Davis Smyre; his stepchildren, Madeline Williams and James Williams, both of Harrisburg, Pa.; his godson, McKinnon Kash Crawford of Charlotte, N.C.; step-mother, Robin Gipson Smyre of Annison, Ala.; step-father, Johnnie C. Jones of Statesville, N.C.; sisters, Stephanie R. Smyre of Charlotte, N.C., Sonya Hayden and Pamela Jones, both of Statesville, N.C.; and Ashley Smyre, of Annison, Ala.; brothers, Phillip Mikal Smyre of Annison, Ala., Ronald “Stump” (Sonia Connor) Turner of Statesville, N.C., and Steven Jones; aunts, Margaret (Charles) Neal and Margaret Ritter, both of Statesville, N.C., and Cynthia Diane Mills of Harrisburg, Pa.; uncles, Larry (Valarie) Keaton, Harvey Mathis, and Joseph Redman, all of Statesville, N.C.; nieces, Kristin Wellman, Diasha Turner and Tiana Jones, all of Statesville, N.C.; nephews, Devin Caldwell, Jaylen Caldwell, Brandon Morrison, Saliff Mott, Timothy Turner Jr., all of Statesville, N.C.; and a host of special cousins, other relatives, and friends.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.

Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home is serving the Smyre family.