Lynn Smith

Lynn A. “Boze” Smith, age 83, of East Leroy, passed away Sunday, February 5, 2017. He was born March 4, 1933 in Girard Township, Michigan the son of Ray J. and Anna M. (Johnson) Smith. A 1951 graduate of Athens High School, he went on to serve his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Following his honorable discharge, he married the former Joyce A. Olmstead in East Leroy. He was a life member of the Athens V.F.W. Post 5319, member of Athens Masonic Lodge #220 F. & A. M. and a member of East Leroy Community Church. Boze had been a firefighter with the Fort Custer Fire Department, worked for American Fire Apparatus and retired from the Kellogg Company as a Millwright in 1990 after 24 years. He was instrumental in the founding of the Leroy Township Fire Department and was known as the “Mayor of East Leroy”. Boze is survived by his wife Joyce A. Smith of East Leroy; four daughters: Lynne (Fred) Haack of Sherwood, Janette (Jon) VanMiddlesworth of Climax, Larine (David) Walstead of East Leroy and Jolyn (Darrell) Sargent of Hamilton, Ohio; eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren; two sisters: Louise Ives of East Leroy and Lyla Smith of Girard; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers: Ken, Lloyd and Von Smith, and two sisters: Myrtle McSherry and Lois Burkhardt. Boze enjoyed camping, fishing, golfing and was always willing to lend a hand to friends and neighbors with tractor jobs. He was also an avid collector of hats and made airplanes from discarded cans. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2017 at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home with interment to follow at Leroy Congregational Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be given to the East Leroy Community Church or St. Jude Children’s Hospital. www.henryfuneralhome.org