Theodore "Ted" L. Smith

Born July 6, 1931 to Stanley Babcock Smith and Charlotte Elizabeth Smith, Ted Smith died October 6, 2022. Ted was at his best entertaining family and friends. He had an eye for design and was a trend setter following his own path. He was a practical joker and everyone was fair game. He was an avid golfer for as long as his health allowed and loved playing a good course or simply hitting balls. He mentored many people young and old in food service, pottery, and golf. He was an accomplished potter and a founding member of the Greater Lansing Potters’ Guild (G.L.P.G.).

Grand Traverse Bay was an important part of his life where he spent 68 summers at the family cabin. He enjoyed his days playing with his children and then his grandchildren and great grandchildren, sailing, fishing, swimming, cooking and eating, sitting around bonfires and sunsets on the beach, skiing and playing cards and dominos with family and friends. He spent his honeymoon and 50th wedding anniversary celebration on the beach.

Ted started his food service / hospitality career as a student at Michigan State College (M.S.C.) serving guests at the Kellogg Center. He graduated from M.S.C. with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality in 1954. (In 1955 M.S.C. became Michigan State University (M.S.U.) He advanced his way through M.S.U.’s Food Service ranks and in 1980 he was the recipient of the National Association of College and University Food Services (N.A.C.U.F.S.) Silver Plate Award. Ted coordinated the food service for M.S.U.’s resident halls and retired in 1991.

He is survived by his children Stuart M. Smith and Sheila Dorsey-Smith of Bridgeport, MI, Dr. Michael B. and Jacqueline Smith of Fort Lauderdale, FL, Kelly and Martin Young of Olympia, WA; grandchildren Hannah and Colin Gambill, Madelyn Young, and Laina Dorsey; great grandchildren Cooper, Wyatt, and Brooke Gambill, Amorah and Athena Bradley; siblings Stanley B. Smith Jr., Char Lynn Smith, and Frederick S. Smith. Proceed in death are his parents and his loving wife of 55 years Marilyn Joann Smith.

Ted’s family and friends will be celebrating his life at a memorial visitation in East Lansing, MI, in January 2023. Details will be announced at a later date. His interment will be at the Old Antrim City Cemetery, Antrim, MI, during the summer of 2023.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Ted will be accepted at https://givingto.msu.edu/crowdpower/ted-smith for a memory bench.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greastlansing.com for the Smith family.