Harold Smith Jr.

Harold “Bud” Smith Jr. of West Branch, died on March 6, 2016 at Covenant Health Care in Saginaw, MI. He was born on May 23, 1929 to Harold R. and Iva E. (Hockett) Smith in Mancelona.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth A. of 64 years, whom he married on October 20, 1951 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Grand Haven; daughters Stephanie (Dale) Schlichter, Brenda (David) Bila, Carolyn Mowatt, and Christine (Scott) Grove; eight granddaughters, FayAnn Crawford, Heather (Jun) Flores, Amanda (Travis) Collins, Sarah (Andy) Zettel, Michele (Matt) Partain, Tiffany (Luka) Dayton-Smith, Jenna (Daniel) Forbes, and Allison Bila, fourteen great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren.

Harold attended schools in Traverse City and graduated from Mancelona. He attended college at the Sault Ste. Marie branch of Michigan Tech before transferring to the main Michigan Tech University in Houghton, MI graduating with high honors in Civil Engineering. His work experience was with Spencer White and Prentice in Detroit, the City of Traverse City, Ottawa County Road Commission and, Grand Haven before becoming employed as engineer-manager and land surveyor at Ogemaw County Road Commission in West Branch for 35 years, retiring in 1991. He was the president of the County Road Association of Michigan and the recipient of the Paul Kaiser Medal of Honor due to his many achievements and accomplishments to better roads in Michigan. Harold was a past president of the Vacationland Conference and secretary of the Vacationland Conference, member of American Society of Civil Engineers and Registered Land Surveyors, former Kiwanian, member of the Tolfree Building Committee, member of the monumentation board for Ogemaw County and life member of Society of Civil Engineers.

He was a lieutenant in the United States Air Force serving as radar observer during the Korean War. Harold was an avid reader, golfer, hunter, fisherman and loved flying and was a charter member of the West Branch Airport Board and obtained his private pilot’s license in 1991. As a former president of the West Branch Country Club he was active in the design and construction of the back nine holes of golf at the club. In his religious parish life, he was active as a Eucharistic Minister, usher, lector, and in the repair and remodeling of the church and the former St. Joseph convent into a Parish Center. He was a former member of the Masonic Lodge of Mancelona. He was a third degree member of the K Of C 2022.

He was active in many community projects, one being a member of the I-75 Committee and instrumental in locating the interstate highway near West Branch and obtaining two exits instead of one. He was instrumental in the construction of the waste water treatment plant, travel trailer park on the Business Loop, West Branch Township DDA, Ogemaw County Planning Committee and instrumental in the original zoning ordinance for Ogemaw County.

He is preceded in death by his parents Harold and Iva Smith; a sister Jacqueline Groesser, great grandson Blake Partain and great-great granddaughter, Rayne Hadley.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in West Branch on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. Fr. Patrick Maher will officiate.

Online condolences can be shared at www.steuernolmclaren.com