James Joseph (Joe) Smith

James Joseph (Joe) Smith of Bay City, Michigan passed away on Thursday evening December 16, 2010 at Bay Regional Medical Center. Age 92 years. The son of the late James and Elizabeth (Tripp) Smith was born on February 28, 1918 in Midland, Michigan. He went to Midland High School and later attended Delta College. Joe was a master wood patternmaker and owned Ideal/Master Pattern Shop in Bay City before becoming a manager of Saginaw Pattern. He retired from the pattern shop at Saginaw's Grey Iron Foundry in 1981. He enjoyed golf, hunting, traveling, reading and playing cards, in his late teen years he was a boxer in the Golden Gloves. Joe was a former member of the F.O.E Aries 1010, Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 169 in Bay City, Bay City Rifle and Pistol Club, Saginaw Pattern Makers Local and a charter member of the Linwood Bay Sportsman Club. He is survived by one daughter; Lois (James) Anderson of Midland and their children; Robert (Jody) Anderson, Steven (Sue) Anderson and Cheryl (Mathew) Smith, one son; James (Karen) Smith of Linwood and their children; Jeffrey (Wendy) Slancik , Shari (Paul) Mehlhose, Mark Banaszak, Lisa (Patrick) Steffen and fourteen great grandchildren. He is also survived by one step-daughter; Dawn Grantham; step grandchildren; Lisa Helmreich, Paul Helmreich, Roxanne (Michael) Krohn, Jennifer (John) Roll, Rick Kidder, William (Karen) Kidder, Christopher (Joanne) Kidder and seven step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wives; Norma (Reed) Smith in 1982 and Dorothy (Kuehnemand) Smith in 2003, brothers and sisters-in-law; Herbert (Marie) Smith, William (Euvada) Smith, Thomas (Catherine) Smith and Walter (Katherine) Smith; sisters and brothers-in-law; Sarah (John) Spitnale, Velma McCarthy, Mary Smith and one step son; Vaughn Kidder. Funeral and Committal Services will take place Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Gephart Funeral Home, Inc.. Officiating will be Elder Patrick M. Steffen with private interment in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in Pinconning. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. and until the time of service. In lieu of flowers memorial cards will be available at the funeral home for Heartland Hospice or the Wishes of the Family.