Otis Cornelius Smith
Birth: 05 Sep 1913 Bordulac, Foster Co, North Dakota Note:  2:20am. His nurse was Minnie Smith. He had the following visitors: Emil Larson, Mr. E. Erickson, Mrs. Harrison, Daisy Young, Mrs. Erickson and Mrs. Mackleroy. Name Var: Neil 1920 Census: 07 JAN 1920 Place: Victory Twp, Mason Co, Michigan, USA Note:  Living with Mom and Dad. 1930 Census:  06 APR 1930 Place: Victory Twp, Mason Co, Michigan Note:  Living with Mom and Dad.
Marriage:  15 Jun 1938 to Dorothy Dale Lucker Place:  Freesoil, Mason Co, Michigan
Birth of Daughter:  06 APR 1939 Name:  Carole Emma Smith Place:  Freesoil, Mason Co, Michigan
Birth of Son:  25 APR 1940 Name:  Neil Ottis Smith Place:  At Gpa Lucker's house, Freesoil, Mason Co, Michigan
Birth of Son:  05 MAR 1946 Name:  David Dale Smith Place:  Stearns Hospital, Ludington, Michigan
Birth of Daughter:  28 NOV 1948 Name:  Ruth Elaine Smith Ruth passed away 17 JUN 1954.  She drowned in the outlet of the Sable River which flows into Lake Michigan under the bridge we all pass over every year going to Ludington State Park.
Birth of Son:  16 NOV 1953 Name:  Mark Allen Smith Place:  Stearns Hospital, Ludington, Michigan
Birth of Daughter:  10 FEB 1955 Name:  Shirley Tekla Smith
Moved to:  1974 Place:  Clio, Michigan Occupation:  Worked at Ternstedt for many years, retiring in 1978. He was a member of Union Local 326.  Retired in 1978. Religion:   First Baptist Church of Mt. Morris Memberships: The Half Century Club of Clio and the Home Builders Group Death:   22 OCT 1977 Burial:  North Victory Cemetery Click here to see parents: Orton Aurlius Smith and Teckla Johanna Olivia Olson

After Otis (called Neil) graduated from the eighth grade at Diamond School, he worked for different farmers, Thurman Fisher being one of them. He also worked for Louie Olson in the gravel pit. When he was twenty years old he spent a year in the Civil Conservation Corp in the upper penninsula near Newberry. When his year was finished he worked at various jobs until he went to work at Cambell, Wayne and Cannon Foundry in Muskegon.

When we were married in 1938 he was working for Quinn's on a farm south of Scottville. After that we moved to Victory Township and worked on Ervin McVicker's farm where we farmed for a year. We then moved to Custer on Howard Gregory's farm where we farmed for two years. We then moved to Aunt Ester's place in Victory Township, but because of gas shortage we had moved to Ludington for the winter. In the spring we moved back to Victory Township to the Beal's place for two years. During this time Otis worked in Ludington for the Austin Construction Company, building the Dow Chemical Plant.

In 1944, during World War II, Otis was drafted to the service so he went to Detroit, passed the physical, completed the papers for induction into the army, came home, and waited to be called. Otis received his call to report in one week so he told his employer. During that week he was called into the office and told that the law had just been changed and he was deferred because they were no longer taking anyone over twenty-six with a family as long as there were available men under twenty six. At the end of this deferment he was given another, and then another so he never had to go.

We then moved to Ludington where we lived for ten years. During this time Otis worked at the Handy Things and Carrom factories eventually getting a job at the Dow Chemical Company as a truck driver where he worked for several years. Otis was working at the Dow Chemical Company when the Korean War ended, they lost alot of orders and he got laid off. Otis then went back to the Carrom Company where he was only working three days a week. To augment his income Otis drove truck for George Towns.

It was during this time that Iva and Eugene told us that General Motors was hiring at the Ternstedt Division so Otis went back with them to Mt. Morris and got a job at Ternstedt. Otis had only worked for three days when he was called home because his daughter Ruthie had drowned. In October 1954 we sold our home in Ludington and moved to Clio where we have lived for the last forty-three years.

Otis worked for General Motors for twenty-five years and retired October 1st 1978.

- Otis and Dorothy Smith

Dorothy Dale Lucker
Birth:  14 NOV 1919 Death: 27 OCT 2000 parents are unknown

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