Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
BESSEMER, Mich. - Roger Boe Smith, 76, of Bessemer, passed away on Jan. 21, 2024.
He was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on Oct. 5, 1947, to Arnold and Floyce Smith.
Roger joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1966 and proudly served in Vietnam, where, despite being wounded and contracting malaria, he safely returned home to Michigan.
After returning home, he reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Marcia, and together, they embarked on a long and happy life, being married for the next 49 years. He was a lover of all things outdoors and was proud when Marcia would call him a nimrod saying, "He was also a great hunter like me!" Never one to pass up a campfire or a beer to go with it, and could easily be found telling stories at the euchre table.
While a converted Green Bay Packer and Milwaukee Brewers fan, his heart always lay with the Detroit Lions and Tigers, and the two of them made it a point to watch every game they could, especially during the Tigers' run in 1984, winning the World Series.
He is preceded in passing by his parents, his brother Robby, grandson Jacob Arcouette, and most importantly, his lifelong love Marcia just four months earlier.
He is survived by his daughters, Annie Sutherland of Pinckney, Michigan, and Suzanne (Smith) and Rick Haines of Georgetown, Kentucky; his son Jason Smith and Tracie Smith (Tanczer) of Lawrenceburg, Indiana; grandchildren, Shaitanya (Arcouette) and Michael Mudgett of Laconia, New Hampshire; and Ethan and Owen Smith of Lawrenceburg, Indiana; great-grandchildren, Bailee and Noah Miller of Laconia, New Hampshire; and siblings, Brenda (Smith) Hanson of Clarkston, Michigan, and Vicki Evans of Pontiac, Michigan.
In lieu of flowers, my dad would want folks to have a beer and remember him and Marcia with a smile and a story. Any donations are suggested to the St. Vincent de Paul food bank in Ironwood.
The family has chosen McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home of Ironwood to honor Roger's legacy of life. You can leave condolences or a tribute at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.
