Obituary of Frank Smith

Frank Smith, Jr. Born: 8-30-1920 Deceased: 2-22-2015 Son to Frank Sr. and Elizabeth Smith, husband to MaryLou, father to Larry, Patricia, and Thomas. Born, in Detroit in 1920, Frank had an extraordinary life. The son of immigrants, Frank grew up in Carleton, Michigan where as a small child, he displayed an early love for business by selling vegetables door to door that were grown in a family garden. At the age of 20, he started a farming partnership with his father and brothers that grew to 1,000 acres under cultivation of vegetables, flowers, and grain. At 27, he married the love of his life, MaryLou Padot of Monroe. They were married for 67 years. Frank and MaryLou loved to dance, travel, and rejoiced in family and the simple things of life. Even in the last moments of life, Frank proclaimed his love for MaryLou. Frank and MaryLou loved their children as well. Larry, Patricia, and Tom. After retirement from his family business, Frank and Tom started up Four Star Greenhouse. Tom with his wife, Sharon. Tom and Sharon are now one of three partners in the Proven Winners, the Number #1 flower brand in America. Although Frank had to abandon formal education after one year of high school due to family needs, his was a life of continued learning and participation in community and industry organizations. In addition to being a member of the Airport School Board, he was a prominent member and Board member of the Monroe County Farm Bureau, the Michigan Farm Bureau, the Monroe Planning Commission, the Agriculture Conference of Michigan, the Vegetable Council of Michigan, and eight years of service to Governor Milliken on the Marketing and Bargaining Board. A mid-life convert to Catholicism, Frank and MaryLou were members of the St. Patrick's Church. Frank was a gregarious and fun loving man and enjoyed the company of others. He was a savvy investor in the stock market and loved the world of business and finance. His beliefs in self-reliance and hard work and kindness to others were well known. Until the end, he was positive about life and believed that each new day was an opportunity to achieve and make his and others lives better. He also found comfort in his relationship with God at the end and passed away peaceably after saying one final good by to his adoring family. On Thursday February 26, there will be a Celebration of Frank's Life at Merkle Funeral Service, 2442 North Monroe St., Monroe (734)384-5185, between the hours of 2-8:00 p.m. Frank wanted us to have fun this day, and I know we won't disappoint him. The one thing I know we'll all have in common is that we can share stories about Frank and that means we'll all be laughing a lot because his was a life of joy and enjoying the company of others. On Friday February 27, Frank will lie in state at St. May's Catholic Church in Monroe from 11:00 a.m. with a funeral mass beginning at 12:00 p.m. Following the service, Frank will be transported to the Michigan Memorial Park at 32163 Huron River Drive in Flat Rock for final internment. Survived by Wife, Mary Lou, children, Larry (Colleen) Smith, Patty (Chuck) Rogers, and Tom (Sharon) Smith, sister, Julia Oetting, grandchildren, Jeffrey Smith, Rachel Rogers, Shane Rogers, and stepgrandchildren, Jason Rice and John Rice. Online guests may leave words of inspiration and comfort, send a floral arrangement, share a photo, or make a donation by visiting www.merklefs.com and then selecting the Online Tributes page.