Bradley Lawrence Smith

Bradley Lawrence Smith, 81, of Cedarville, Michigan, died December 22, 2017 at McLaren Nothernin Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, Michigan. Brad was born April 9, 1936, in Detroit, Michigan, to Leonard B. Smith and Hazel Jacobs Smith. Brad grew up in Ferndale and Royal Oak, Michigan and graduated from the Shrine of the Little Flower High School in Royal Oak. He attended college, graduating from Lawrence University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He married Patricia Carolin on November 21, 1959, and they lived in Royal Oak and then Troy, Michigan. Brad worked for P. James Carolin Company with Patricia’s father and brothers as a manufacturer’s representative in the automobile industry. He worked with Chrysler suppliers. Eventually they moved to Southfield, Michigan, and started their family. After the birth of their oldest son, Bryan, they adopted their second son, Leonard, and first daughter, Bonny, as infants. Their youngest daughter, Lynn, completed their family when she was born in 1979. Brad was a very active parent and was an assistant coach on almost all of the children’s hockey, baseball, and soccer teams. He was a great skating teacher, even though he often needed a chair or hockey stick to stay up on his skates. They moved to Beverly Hills, Michigan, with their kids and finished raising the kids there. Brad retired in 2001 and they moved to Cedarville on Muscoe Channel for their retirement years. Brad was a member of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Hessel and the Knights of Columbus at Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Clawson, Michigan. Besides coaching, teaching, and spending time with his children, Brad was also an avid fisherman who loved to have fishing contests with his children. Brad never missed donut day at church. Brad is survived by his wife Patricia; sons, Bryan L. Smith of Taipei, Taiwan, and Leonard B. Smith of Van Buren Township, Michigan; and daughter, Bonny C. (Mike Eastup) Smith, of Rome, New York. Brad is also survived by brothers, Truman (MaryAnn) Smith of White Lake, Michigan, Byron (Germaine) Smith of Grand Blanc, Michigan, and Grayson (Carolyn) Smith of Rochester Hills, Michigan; brothers-in-law, Ralph (Carol) Carolin of Franklin, Michigan, Joseph Carolin of Indian River, Michigan, and John (Penny) Carolin of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; and sister-in-law, Mary Ann Carolin of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Brad was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Lynn in 2015; and brothers-in-law, P. James Carolin, Mike Carolin, and Paul Carolin. Services will be held at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Hessel, on December 28, 2017. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with Mass of Christian Burial to begin at 1:00 p.m. Father Peter Fosu will officiate. Burial will be at Edgewood Cedar Cemetery in Clark Township, Michigan, in the spring. Memorials may be directed to St. Vincent DePaul Society, P.O. Box 273, Cedarville, MI 49719 or Les Cheneaux Ambulance Auxiliary, P.O. Box 453, Hessel, MI 49745.

Tributes

Bradley Lawrence Smith

April 9, 1936 - December 22, 2017