Ward L. Smith's Obituary
Ward L. Smith
A Life Well-Lived : In Memoriam
Ward L. Smith, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away
peacefully on March 19, 2016 at home in Hudson, FL, surrounded by his family. He was 93. A
year has passed and he will continue to be in our hearts and prayers, and missed very much.
Ward was born on the family farm in Millington, MI to Harold Paul and Mary Elizabeth (Ward)
Smith on July 28, 1922, the first of three children. As a youth, guided by his hard-working, loving
parents, he developed a strong work ethic, sense of humor, and sound character that served
him well his entire life. He enjoyed music, the great music of the era, and it was at a dance that
he met the love of his life, Marjorie Marie Scrimger. They married in Malden, Massachusetts on
April 1, 1945, while Ward served in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII. Ward’s duties included
patrolling the East coast on horseback and watching for submarines. He also served overseas
aboard a landing craft, LST-17, transporting British marines along the English Channel to the
Normandy Invasion, then carrying the wounded from the beach back on board.
Ward was grateful to return home safely from the war after all he experienced as a young man.
He worked for Burroughs Corporation and at J.L. Hudson Company. He was ambitious and a
hard worker. He went on to have a successful career in business at his State Farm Insurance
Agency in Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge, MI, until his retirement. He was respected and
well-liked by his clients and friends and truly loved helping people. “Do you follow me?” was his
favorite phrase when explaining things to clients, family and friends.
Ward and Marjorie were blessed with four children during their wonderful marriage and also
welcomed ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Ward was devoted to his family. He
is missed by Marjorie, his loving wife of 71 years; his four children: Barbara Jo Martini, Susanne
Marie (Pete) Petersen, Richard Alan Smith, and Cynthia Lynn Smith Komorowski; his
grandchildren: Michael (Stephanie) Crumley, Nicholas and Christopher Martini, Kelly (Eric) Reid
and Joseph Petersen, Scott and Mary Smith, and Jennifer, Matthew, and Zachary Komorowski;
and great-grandchildren: Dillon and Collin Reid, and Callie Crumley. Two of his grandsons,
Joseph and Matthew, are named after their grandfather, given Ward as their middle name. He is
also survived by his sister Elaine Joynson, and several other extended family members. He was
predeceased by his parents and brother Wayne.
At the age of forty, Ward lost his right leg below the knee as a result of a car accident, but it
never held him back from doing the things he loved, including golfing and swimming. He
handled the challenge with great integrity, courage and resilience — often encouraging other
amputees. Even after the accident, it was common for Ward to play multiple rounds of golf in
one day. He shot 4 holes-in-one during his career and enjoyed teaching his family the game.
Anything he participated in was with the credo, do your best. His equipment was always kept in
good condition, his shoes polished, his crossword puzzle pencils sharp, his desktop tidy, and his
checkbook balanced. He was competitive in a good-natured way, whether playing golf, gin
rummy, bowling, or rooting for his favorite teams. Ward loved the game of hockey. He and
Marge had Red Wing season tickets at the Olympia in Detroit. Upon retirement to Florida he
became a Tampa Bay Lightning fan as well. He enjoyed family trips to watch baseball at Tiger
Stadium and local PGA events. He even landed a TV interview while heading into Comerica
Park, the new stadium in Detroit, by asking the newsman at the gate, “Would you like to talk to
someone who saw Ty Cobb play?” His sense of humor was great fun and the smile and laugh
after each witty zinger was the best. The sound of George Kell, Ernie Harwell, Budd Lynch and
Bob Ufer broadcasting over the airwaves at home in Michigan were common sounds of daily
life.
Ward’s favorite way to spend a Saturday was watching the University of Michigan’s football
team at the Big House. There was no greater fan than Ward, and he started a tradition when he
went to games with his father, and continued with Marge as season ticket holders. He arrived
early to watch warm-ups, and stayed for the last play — snow, rain or shine. The Big House and
the Maize and Blue have always been special to Ward and his family. He looked forward to
each season and was in the stands with his headset on, coaching and rooting for the
Wolverines from his seat in Section 4. His youngest daughter is forever grateful that he
encouraged and supported her education at U of M.
Ward and Marge worked hard and also made time for family fun. As a young couple with a
growing family they had a trailer at Burroughs Farms and then a cottage at Cat Lake. Ward built
several homes with Marge over the years, and a favorite place was their home on Higgins Lake
in Michigan. The family spent time swimming and boating as well as watching holiday fireworks
on the boat, then getting lost trying to find their way back to the dock afterward. Visiting
Grandma and Grandpa at their homes in Florida was always exciting and favorite trips of the
grandchildren. Being with his wife and family enjoying the simple things were no doubt Ward’s
favorite times in life, like picking apples, going for ice cream, heading to the Old Mill for a perch
dinner, or having one of the children ride to the bank with him in the evening after work. He
enjoyed animals and family pets over the years included dogs and a canary. He and Marge
provided the family with years of special times, cherished memories and lots of love.
Ward was a Mason and Shriner for several years, volunteering at events including the Shrine
Circus. He never gave up the secret handshake details despite attempts by at least one of the
children to find out. He also coached youth hockey when his son played. He enjoyed sharing his
knowledge, whether it be coaching hockey, or helping others with their golf game. He attended
the First United Methodist Church in Royal Oak and was a humble man with a big heart. He
loved to take the drive back and forth between Michigan and Florida, often several times a year.
He and Marge were known to drive straight through many times. Ward had a notorious sweet
tooth that led him to countless ice cream sundaes, donuts and cookies with a glass of milk. He
loved Marge’s cooking and was always happy to prep the flour mixture for the gravy and help
clean up with a dish towel over his shoulder. As Marge would tell him, “You may have retired,
but I haven’t.” When Ward stopped golfing, a perfect Sunday included watching sports, a game
of solitaire, a nap and a simple dinner of meat, potatoes and bread. And dessert, of course. A private memorial service was held in Ward’s honor back home in Michigan on August 6, 2016
at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy. The prayer service was conducted by the
Reverend Jeff Nelson of the First United Methodist Church in Royal Oak, MI, and included
military honors presented by a U.S. Coast Guard honor guard followed by a Christian interment
of his cremains. It was a beautiful service, with reflections and memories of Ward shared by his
family and Reverend Nelson. Marge and the entire family are forever thankful to God for Ward’s
life and for blessing them with such a good man.
The Smith family once again would like to thank the medical professionals who helped care for
Ward, and the support of the hospice nurses during his last few days at home. Thank you to the
staffs of Grace Memorial in Hudson, FL and White Chapel in Troy, MI for their guidance and
kindness. Ward’s family will always be grateful for the prayers and support of many special
friends, family members, Reverend Nelson and the love and presence of the Scrimger family.
What’s your fondest memory of Ward?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ward?
Share a story where Ward's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ward you’ll never forget.
How did Ward make you smile?