Richard Smith

Richard “Smitty” Smith was a true gift to those around him and in his absence, life will never be the same for those who knew and loved him. Some will miss his practical jokes while others will miss his roaring campfires, but all who knew Smitty will greatly miss his love for life as he had a way of turning the ordinary into something fun. Dick was a doting father and grandfather who was able to see life through the eyes of his children and grandchild whether he was having tea parties or just playing around on the floor. He leaves behind lessons in integrity, character, and unconditional love that will surely withstand the ebb and flow of the tide.

The fifties was a vibrant decade in America with the introduction to color television, Barbie dolls, and rock ‘n roll music. There were also changes that would forever transform the face of our nation with the implementation of term limits for the President and the construction of the first nuclear power plant. It was in the year 1951 that the family of Roger and Josephine (Roberts) Smith welcomed the birth of their son, Richard, on December 29th. Dick, as he was often known, was born in St. Johns, Michigan, as the fifth of six children in his family, which included five sisters. His father was an electrician while his mother was a homemaker, and the Smith family was a close-knit group. Dick had a great deal of fun with his sisters and was raised in the family home in Ovid. Their family had plenty of fun times at their cottage on Blue Gill Island where they spent their summers. Dick loved fishing on Blue Gill Island, located within Lobdell Lake to the southwest of Flint.

As a young boy, Dick developed many traits and interests that would remain with him throughout his life. He enjoyed playing Little League baseball and was the first one in the league to throw a curve ball after his father taught him the skill. Smitty was a practical joker who had a contagious sense of humor and a great joke always at the ready. He also had a strong work ethic and a drive to succeed as he mowed lawns as a young boy and as a high school student, he worked at the local IGA. Dick attended local schools where he made friends easily and not surprisingly, he was always more interested in having fun than he was in studying. He was on the cross country team at Ovid-Elsie High School, and he also rode dirt bikes while in high school. Dick joined the Army in 1970 and was stationed at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, where he enjoyed listening to classic Motown music while he was on guard duty.

Life was forever changed for Dick when he met the love of his life at his sister Pat’s graduation open house. Her name was Karen Fett and after dating for about one year, the couple was united in marriage on July 4, 1975 in Laingsburg. Together they were blessed with two children, Courtney and Roger. Dick embraced his role as a father and was quite involved in the lives of his children, too. He taught them to ride dirt bikes, had tea parties with Courtney when she was a young girl and when she was older, they ate Cheez-It crackers together while watching Saturday Night Live. Dick always made his family his priority and because of that, they shared close relationships with one another. In order to support his family, Dick worked as a skilled tradesman cutter grinder for General Motors.

When he had some time off, Dick liked a variety of activities. His love for fishing remained throughout his life, and he also enjoyed hunting, especially bow hunting. Dick and Karen loved camping and deer hunting at Burt Lake. In fact, he was always the one in charge of the campfires at deer camp because no one could make fires that were nearly as big or hot as the ones Dick made. Once their children were grown, Dick and Karen went camping and hunting even more often. They also played euchre, hosted poker parties, and had campfires in the backyard where they just talked and talked. When he became a grandfather, spending time with his grandson Jake quickly became one of Dick’s favorite activities. He was a member of both the UAW #652 and the American Legion #225, and he sold Christmas trees from their farm for 24 years.

Known as “Grandpa Candy” to his grandson, Richard Smith was a remarkable man to so many others. He was fun-loving, kind, and generous while living life to its fullest every day. Dick enjoyed an active lifestyle and could always be counted on for a great one-liner, a practical joke, or perhaps some fun with his infamous potato gun. Although his family and friends will miss him dearly, they find comfort in knowing that he always told his wife, “If I die tomorrow, I’ve had a ball.” Only when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just this past March did Dick slow down, and he drew his last breath surrounded by his loving family just a short time later.

Richard M. “Smitty” Smith, died April 18, 2010. Dick’s family includes his wife, Karen; children, Roger (Amanda) Smith, Courtney (Mark Atkins) Smith Atkins; grandchild, Jake Smith; sisters, Sandra (Mike) Libby, Jeanne (Don) Sudau, Maureen Roberts, Janet (Rod) Tew, Pat (Ed) Hagan, and many nieces and nephews. Dick was preceded in death by his parents. Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 22, 2010, at the Houghton Chapel of Osgood Funeral Homes, 232 E. Oak St., Ovid, with burial to follow at Maple Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends, 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday at the funeral home. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or photo, or sign the online guestbook.