Michael Harold Smith

Michael Harold Smith, 70, of Galveston, made his way to the Lord’s baseball stadium in Heaven on Friday, October 16, 2020. He was born July 31, 1950, at St. Joseph’s hospital in Logansport, to Lowell Wayne and Margaret May (Piercy) Smith.

Michael graduated from Lewis Cass High School in 1968 after playing football, basketball, and baseball, which was his love. He was the team batting average champion his senior year. Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Purdue University while playing the cornet in the Purdue “All-American” Marching band.

He farmed in Jasper and Cass Counties for 35 years and drove over 2 million miles delivering RV’s for various companies based in Elkhart, IN.

Mike loved sports.  He was an IHSAA high school sports official in football, basketball, and baseball. He ascended the ranks and officiated the Girls’ Basketball State Championship at Market Square Arena in 1995.

He was known to many as “Coach Smith”, as he coached many young men and women in youth sports over the years.  He helped create the Rensselaer Baseball Incorporated (RBI) youth travel team and was Head Coach for many years, even after his own sons were no longer playing. He strived to make his players better, both on and off the playing field by having them focus on fundamentals, rather than wins and losses. He would always take extra time to help a player to reach their potential.

He was an avid fan of the Lewis Cass Kings and Rensselaer Bombers, frequently attending their local contests to show his support for their programs.

He was an avid gardener, often growing much more than he needed to be able to share the excess crop with friends, neighbors and even strangers he just met for the first time.  He recently became interested in walnut production and created his own 10-acre grove on the farm.

Mike loved his family, especially his 3 grown sons, his daughters-in-law, and his 3 young grandchildren.  He cherished traveling to Fishers, IN for his grandchildren’s sporting activities.  He relished attending collegiate sporting events that his eldest son officiated, delving into investing and gardening with his middle son, and spending time while watching movies with his youngest son.  He enjoyed taking family fishing trips to Howey Bay Camps in Red Lake, Ontario.  He was a frequent attender of Upper Deer Creek Church in Galveston.

Survivors include his sons, Grady (Jaime) Smith, Fishers, Gavin (Callie Yax) Smith, Alexandria, VA, and Garrett Smith, Fort Wayne; grandchildren, Addison, Camden, and Tucker “T.J.”; mother, Margaret M. Smith, Galveston; sister, Pam (Joel) Hodges, Floral City, FL; two nephews, Noah (Sarah) Hodges, Brookville, FL and Joe (Natalie) Hodges, Owego, NY; and numerous cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father and brother, Bradley Smith.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 26, 2020, at Shirley & Stout Funeral Home, 1315 W. Lincoln Rd., Kokomo.  Friends are also invited to attend the service via webcast.  A link will be available on Monday at the bottom of his obituary page at www.shirleyandstout.com.  Burial will follow in Center EUB Cemetery, Galveston.  Visitation to celebrate his life will be from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Michael’s memory to Lewis Cass High School Baseball program, 6422 SR-218, Walton, IN  46994. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com.

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