Eddie Mikel Smith, for years a familiar figure to late-night patrons of North Halsted Street’s gay-bar scene, died suddenly Nov. 17. He was 52.
Smith worked for Little Jim’s, North Halsted’s oldest gay bar, for more than 15 years, greeting patrons at the door, keeping a watchful eye on the streets outside and helping more than a few late-night customers find a safe way home.
“He was a very generous and giving person,” said Barry Allen, Smith’s longtime friend and roommate. “I don’t think anybody ever had anything bad to say about him.”
In recent years, Smith worked the busy weekend nights at Little Jim’s door.
“He really knew how to handle people,” Allen said. “And he had a wonderful sense of humor.”
Smith also was known to his friends for his love of cooking and sharing food; his potato salad was a staple of Little Jim’s anniversary celebrations.
“When I walked in today, I was just thinking about all the things I would depend on him for, stuff I wouldn’t even give a second thought to because I knew Mikel would take care of it,” said Little Jim’s manager Jeff Morgan. “I can’t replace him. He was just a really great guy.”
Smith grew up in Bridgeport but had lived much of his adult life on the North Side.
He is survived by his mother, Flora Manning; sisters Janel Smith, Judy Manning and Kristie Manning; brothers Bruce, Carl and Vernon Smith; and numerous nieces and nephews. One sister, Andra Manning, preceded Smith in death.
In accordance with Smith’s wishes, no funeral service was scheduled.