Former School Board Member Jim Smith Passes Away

Former West Chester School Board member, teacher and Coach Jim Smith passed away unexpectedly early Sunday morning at the age of 74.

“It’s a big loss for the community,” said former school board member Jim Davison who served with Smith from Dec. 2003-2011.  “He didn’t hold back.  Whenever he talked about something he was very serious, but he was a puppy dog underneath.”

Smith taught history in the West Chester School District for more than 30 years, and he also served several years as the head football coach at Marple-Newtown High School as well as the quarterback coach at Henderson high school.

“He was a very dear friend,” Davison said.  “We used to talk everyday.”

Davison added, "It came as a real shock to all of us," Davison said.  "We all thought he was in really great shape."