Something that nearly slipped my mind....
Wayne Bunn, the Hartford Motor Speedway track announcer, had us all pause for a moment of silence last Friday Night prior to the IRA race, to note the passing of local sprint car driver Leo Smith.
I met Leo on a couple of occasions, but was more of an acquaintance with his Dad, Eddie. His younger brother, also named Eddie, was the Hartford track sprint car champ one year and regularly ran with the local touring groups up until a few seasons ago. A good group of guys.
Here is his obit from the local newspaper:
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Leo Carl Smith
ST. JOSEPH - Leo Carl Smith, 44, of St. Joseph died Tuesday, May 25, 2010, at his home, with his family at his side.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 29, at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Eau Claire, with Pastor Dan Miller of First Assembly of God Church officiating. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Sodus. Friends are invited to visit with the family from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 28, at the funeral home, and to leave online messages at
www.allredfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to Lakeland Hospice or to First Assembly of God Church, 3084 Niles Road, St. Joseph, which was Leo's home church.
Leo was born July 30, 1965, in Benton Harbor, the son of Edward Eugene and Evelyn M. (Hauch) Smith, and he had been a lifelong area resident. He was a metal finisher by trade, and his leisure enjoyments included auto racing, fishing and being in the outdoors.
Survivors include his wife, the former Tammy L. Kruithof; two daughters, Rochelle Tunstill of St. Joseph and Misty Foster of Benton Harbor; one son, Lonnie L. Welch of St. Joseph; four grandchildren; his father, Edward E. Smith of Sodus; a sister, Deborah (David) Rogers of Eau Claire; and two brothers, Coty Smith of Sanford, Fla., and Edward J. (Pam) Smith of St. Joseph.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn Hauch Smith.
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Should any of Leo's family frequent the website here, my condolences.
Mike
