CLAY, NY — Michael Smith Jr., 96, of 4090 Ver Plank Road, Clay, passed Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Liverpool, NY.
Calling hours will be 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Hart & Bruce Funeral Home, 117 N. Massey St., Watertown.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. July 11, 2019, at the funeral home. Burial will follow in North Watertown Cemetery with military honors.
Born in Pamelia, NY, a son of Michael and Catherine (Kraft) Smith Sr., he graduated from General Brown High School.Â
Following school he went to work for New York Air Brake as a machinist. He then entered the US Navy on Aug. 14, 1943, and served in the Pacific on the USS Vestal during WWII. He was honorably discharged on April 7, 1946 as a Shipfitter Second Class USNR. He received the American Theater Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal with a star, and a Letter of Commendation. Upon returning home he returned to NY Air Brake where he worked for 46 years up until he retired in 1982 as a tool maker.
He married Alice S. Abrams on Aug. 10, 1947, at Trinity Episcopal Church. The couple later moved to Clay in 2009.
He enjoyed gardening and growing vegetables and would donate many of his vegetables to the local nursing home, he was an avid hunter, enjoyed spending time with the grandchildren and great grandchildren and passing on his knowledge with them. He participated in the Honor Flight in April of 2018 and was a member of the Watertown American Legion Post 61.
Among his survivors are a daughter and her husband, Sandra A. and Roy C. Lytle, Liverpool; a granddaughter and her husband, Jennifer E. and Matthew M. Miller, Liverpool; a grandson and his wife, Roy C. and JoAnn Lytle Jr., Pennellville, N.Y.; five great-grandchildren, Zachary, Jacob, Chloe, Owen and Joshua; two sisters, Helen and Irene, and a brother Robert Smith;Â a half sister and her husband, Sally and Ken Conway; a half brother, Joseph Smith; several nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents his beloved wife, Alice S. Smith died January 1, 2013.
Donations may be made to Honor Flight c/o Honor Flight, Inc., 175 South Tuttle Road, Springfield, OH 45505.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartandbrucefh.com
