Will County Habitat of Humanity gets land donation from Joliet family

Will County Habitat for Humanity’s second golf outing was held in memory of one its strong supporters: the late James V. Smith of Joliet.

About 144 golfers raised $175,000 during the event at the Bolingbrook Golf Club, according to a news release from Will County Habitat for Humanity.

The funds will benefit the James V. Smith Memorial Build – a home constructed on land that Smith’s wife, Jan, donated to Will County Habitat for Humanity.

The golfers included some of James V. Smith’s family and friends. Scott Smith, James V. Smith’s nephew, traveled from North Carolina to participate in the outing, according to the release.

James V. Smith died in 2020.

“It means a lot that his legacy is getting passed on even after he’s gone.” Scott Smith said in the release.

Jan Smith said her husband bought the small lot on Joliet’s East side in the late 1990s or early 2000s. She said he liked to dabble in real estate and researched on the steps for buying a lot for back taxes, she said.

“He found this lot for back taxes, and he brought it,” Jan Smith said. “He was all excited. He thought he’d won the lottery.”

Through the years, James V. Smith kept the lawn mowed and the taxes paid, Jan Smith said. But he did not develop it.

“He said that this might be a great thing for Habitat for Humanity,” Jan Smith said. “But he was worried that Habitat might not take it. He didn’t know if the lot was big enough.”

After James V. Smith died because of COVID-19 complications, Jan Smith reached out to Will County Habitat for Humanity.

“Donating the land will make it better than when he found it,” she said.

Will County Habitat for Humanity has provided homes for 90 families in the last 30 years, according to the release. The nonprofit organization “relies on community support for financial contributions and in-kind donations of labor, land and materials to build the homes,” according to the release.

“Jim was certainly the ambassador of Joliet. He loved this town.”

—  Jan Smith, wife of James V. Smith

Smith, a graduate of the former Joliet East High School, owned the James V. Smith & Associates appraisal and real estate business in downtown Joliet. He donated his services as an appraiser to Will County Habitat for Humanity, according to the release.

[ An Extraordinary Life: 'Nobody questioned his integrity or honesty' James V. Smith's devotion to the Joliet community was exemplary ]

He also served on the Greater Joliet Area YMCA board of directors for 20 years and had 29 years of perfect attendance with the Rotary Club of Joliet, according to James V. Smith’s obituary.

Smith also served for 20 years on the board of the Will County Metropolitan Exposition and Authority (which oversees the Rialto), serving as its chairman.

After resigning from the Rialto Square Theatre board in 2016, Smith joined the Rialto Foundation Board and was still its secretary when he died.

He also served as a board member for the Joliet City Center Partnership, the Joliet Area Historical Museum, and the Will County Center for Economic Development.

[ James V. Smith remembered for his friendship and civic involvement ]

An avid boater, Smith earned the certificate of training for the Master 100 Ton US CAPT 289 course in 2017. Smith subsequently applied for, and was granted, the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential-Master 50 GRT Near Coastal license.

“Jim was certainly the ambassador of Joliet,” Jan Smith said. “He loved this town.”

For more information, visit habitatwill.org.