Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Smith, Dr. George F. 1937
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marilyn Ransom mransom311@gmail.com September 3, 2014, 4:38 pm

The Belding Banner, Thursday, September 2, 1937


A wave of deep and genuine sorrow spread over this city Sunday morning when the 
people learned that Dr. George F. Smith, aged 70 years, well known and beloved 
dentist in this city for nearly half a century, had lost the game fight for 
life which he had been waging and that the death angel had claimed him at 1:15 
o’clock Sunday morning August 29th, in his bed at Blodgett hospital, Grand 
Rapids, where he had been for the past two weeks and where, on Wednesday 
morning of last week he had submitted to an operation for goiter, the removal 
of which was thought would restore him to health and back to his wife and 
legion of friends in this community.

Dr. Smith was born in Sparta, Ontario, Canada, July 26, 1867 and received his 
education at St. Thomas, Ontario, and finished by graduating from the dental 
department of the Philadelphia Dental college in 1891.  Immediately after 
graduating Dr. Smith came to Belding, where he started in practicing his chosen 
profession, his first office being in the Melloche block, now the Wortley 
building, where he held forth for one year, going into the offices where he 
practiced until the time when ill health forced him to quit, in what is now the 
Friedman building, at the time that structure was completed in 1892.

In September 1896 Dr. Smith was married to Mary Louise Stone, at the time a 
teacher in the local schools, who survives him.  Surviving also are a sister, 
Mrs. John Martyn and a brother, William of Sparta, Ontario, and another 
brother, Martin of Detroit.

Dr. Smith was a contributing member of the local Congregational church, a 
member of the Masonic Lodge, Royal Arch Masons, Knights Templar, Grand Rapids 
Consistory and Saladin Shrine.  He was past president of the West Michigan 
Dental society and of the Washington Club.  He was a member of the Board of 
Commerce and numerous other civic organizations which had as their purpose the 
betterment of community life in general.  Through his 48 years of dental 
practice in this city he was known to practically everyone here and by his 
kindness and wholesouled geniality he won the love and deep esteem of 
practically everyone he met to such an extent that the passing on of no other 
local man in a long time has met with the deep regret which his passing has 
evinced.

Funeral services were held at the Smith home, 319 E. Washington St. where the 
body had been brought after death occurred, by Bruce G. Fales, local mortician, 
on Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock, with Rev. Charles W. Biastock, pastor of 
the Baptist church, officiating.  The men who acted as pallbearers were brother 
members of the Knights Templar order and were Glenn E. Wortley and C. N. Wilson 
of this city, Robert Woltjer of Greenville, E. W. Krainkrink, Thane Benedict 
and Henry Voelker of Ionia.

As a mark of respect to Dr. Smith stores, officers and business places in the 
city were closed during the funeral hour at the request of Mayor E. V. 
McNally.  Immediately after the services here the body was taken to Romeo for 
burial and where the Knights Templar order had charge of burial services.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/s/smith28380nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 3.7 Kb