William "Bill" Smith Jr's Obituary
William “Bill” Smith Jr, age 88, passed away Tuesday, December 17, 2019. He was born on March 29, 1931 to William and Mary (Sterling) Smith in Petoskey, MI. He was a proud veteran, serving his country in the US Army during the Korean War. Bill was a dedicated employee to GTE, before retiring after 36 years. On March 28, 1954 he married the love of his life, the former Nita Mann in Olivet, MI. Together they cherished 65 years of marriage full of love and laughter. He was known to be a talented wood worker and enjoyed spending time repairing small engine machines. While Bill was in the US Army, he was stationed in Alaska and grew quite fond of it. He and Nita would adventure to Alaska for camping trips, where they spent nights admiring the Northern Lights. Above all things, he loved his family and friends. He was a kind and tender-loving soul who will be missed by all that knew him. He is survived by his wife, Nita Smith; 4 children, Kenny (Kay) Smith, David Smith, Sandra (Tom) Morence and Pam (Tim) Flint; 15 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchild; brother, Leo (Barb) Smith; and daughter-in-law, Deb Smith. He is preceded in death by his parents; son, Billy Smith; 2 sisters, Hellen Hoover and Georgann Dembroski. A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00PM on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at The VanZantwick Chapel of Sytsema Cremation & Funeral Services, 620 Washington Ave., Grand Haven, MI 49417. Visitation with the family will be held one-hour prior at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in Bill’s honor can be directed to the family. Please visit the family’s online guestbook at www.sytsemafh.com.
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