| Mark Allen Smith | |
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Birth of Daughter: 16 JUN 1975 |
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Birth of Son: 27 FEB 1978 |
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 Mark Jr's grave |
Birth of Daughter: 16 APR 1985 |
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I was born on November 16, 1953 in Ludington, Michigan, but we moved to Mt. Morris, Michigan when I was two years old. We lived in the same house that my Mom, Dorothy, lives in now. It is on Lewis Road about midway between Clio and Mt. Morris.
I am the fifth child of Otis and Dorothy. Neil and Carol live in Clio; David lives in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Ruthie died when I was a baby. My younger sister, Shirley, lives in Lansing, Michigan. There are eight years between David, my next oldest brother, and myself so my sister and I were alone at home with Mom and Dad while we were growing up. The older kids were on their own before I remember much about them. Based on the pictures in Mom's hallway, I was the ring-bearer in Carol's and Neil's weddings. I looked pretty good in a tux at 5 years old.
Dad worked nights when I was at home, so I mainly saw him on weekends. His work schedule allowed him to have the afternoons to work in the garden and to keep up with the "to-dos" Mom gave him. mom was there whenever I was at home. She was up and had breakfast ready in the mornings and had dinner ready when I came home from school. Looking back, I really appreciated having Mom there whenever I needed her.
Thanks to Mom and Dad, I was raised in a Christian home. As far back as I can remember, we went to church every Sunday. Most of my social life growing up was centered around church. It included Sunday School on Sunday mornings, Sunday morning worship, Sunday night youth programs, Sunday night worship service, youth Baptist Association meetings once or twice a month and various youth summer camps and winter retreats.
My closest buddied growing up, Tom Johnson, Gordon Carrier and Roger Carpenter were from our church. We spent most of our free time together either driving around town or at each others houses. In high school, we formed a Christian rock band. (Why not? It was the 70's and everyone was in a band.) We played in our church; many churches around Flint, Michigan; the "Pipe", a Flint youth club; and at the IMA arena in downtown Flint. We were really good. Sorry, no albums though.
I attended Elisabeth Ann Johnson High School in Mt. Morris, Michigan from 1969 to 1972. I finished fifth in my class of 183. School was ok, but I loved sports. On the football team, I played offensive and defensive tackle and was on varsity for my sophomore through senior years. On the wrestling team, I started on the varsity from freshman through my senior years.
I met Debbie, my future wife, when we were 16 at a Flint River Baptist Youth Association meeting. I was running for President of the Association. She saw me at the rally, and she was in love (at first sight). Debbie went to Kearsley High School, so we mainly saw each other on weekends. Debbie and I were married on November 25, 1972. She was 18 and I had just turned 19. We immediately moved into an apartment in Columbus, Ohio that I had picked out on my own. I was in Columbus attending Ohio Institute of Technology. She hated the apartment. She told me a couple of years ago that she cried when she first saw it. For $120 per month, full furnished, the price was right. We moved six months later to another apartment.
We moved back to Michigan after college. I started my professional career with Docutel, the Automated Teller Company. We lived in Northville, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. I changed jobs in 1976 and worked for Interactive Systems, which was later acquired by 3M and then Allen-Bradley Company. 3M moved us to Plano, Texas in 1981.
We loved it in Texas. We raised our family down there. We made a lot of friends in Texas. We lived there for 13 years. Go Cowboys! We moved back to Michigan in 1994.
Debbie and I have three children. Tammy, our oldest, is married to Daniel Baird and has one child of her own, Bryce Tyler. Tammy and her family live in Plano, Texas. She graduated from Baylor University in May, 1997 and now teaches fifth grade in the Plano School District.
Mark, my son, graduated from Michigan State University Business School in May, 2000. His degree is in Finance. He has made his move into the business world and has his first job with Federal Mogul. Mark resides in Walled Lake, Michigan.
Angela is my youngest. Angie is 15. She will be starting the 10th grade at Northville High School this fall. Angie spends alot of time with her friends and on the Internet. She is taking drivers training this summer. Watch out!
This year, Debbie and I will have been married for 28 years (in a row). She has been a leader in our family, through my time away from home on business travel. She has been a friend to our kids and me. She is a little bit crazy, but that is why everybody likes her. She enjoys being a grandmother to our new grandchild.
Debbie and I love to travel. We have been to Hawaii five times, to California's San Francisco and Big Spur four times. These are our favorite spots. We have also been to San Diego; Palm Springs; Scottsdale; Naples, Florida; Ft. Lauderdale; Miami; Acapulco and on cruises in the Caribbean.
I'm going to be 47 this year. I now work for EDS, in their E.solutions Line of Business. I lead the sales group that is focused on General Motors and Delphi. I have people on my team in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Brazil and, hopefully soon, someone in the Asia/Pacific region. I like what I do, but I'm thinking about retirement or a second career.
I enjoy the family reunions in Ludington each year. I think we have made the majority of them, even when we lived in Texas. It's great to see the relatives, to see everyone's family grow up, and to learn bout our "roots" as Smiths.- written by Mark in 2000
| Debra Kay Betts | |
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