Sheral Kay Smith-Redding

It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden and unexpected loss of Sheral Kay Smith-Redding on July 8th, 2022. She passed away at her home in Rochester Hills, MI with her basset hound, Stella. She was 65 years old.

Sheral was the beloved mother to three daughters - Jessica (Tristan) Pruss, Kate (Joe) Krawczak, and Shelby Redding, and a proud grandmother to her beloved granddaughter, Taylor.

She is also survived by her loving siblings Elaine (Tony) Dalton, William “Pud” (Sue) Smith, Lorri Smith, Susie Gleason, and Bruce (Melissa) Smith, and her life-long best friend Linda (Dennis) Beranek.

She was predeceased by her parents, William “Billy Joe” and Vivian Smith, as well as by her sister, Diane, and brother-in-law, Robert “Bert” Gleason. We know that they were all waiting joyously to welcome her home.

Sheral was born in Detroit, MI at Grace Hospital, and she grew up in Royal Oak, MI, surrounded by her 6 siblings and loving parents. She graduated from Kimball High School in Royal Oak, and went on to strike out on her own shortly afterwards. Sheral always marched to the beat of her own drummer, and she headed for Ann Arbor to seize life by the lapels. Ann Arbor in the Seventies was a bohemian dream, and she vivaciously lived her young adult life there. While she was bartending and breaking hearts at a swanky disco, she met and married Michael Redding in 1980. They spent many years together and raised three daughters in Rochester, MI before parting ways in 2001.

Sheral lived a full and vibrant life as a wonderful and devoted mother, and she also led a long career in the specialty food industry. She had a servant's heart and found great joy in being of service to her customers. She often remarked that she felt she was in a unique position to spread joy to people in an unexpected way, and she loved when she could send her guests away with a smile on their face. Sheral spent her later years as a member of the Bakery Team at Whole Foods Market in Rochester, MI, and she fully embraced her role as “Work Mom” to her friends there.

She had an easy smile, and the fullest, most infectious laugh. She was fiercely loyal, and formidable when crossed. She always fought you for the check after a dinner out, and was not afraid to employ emotional warfare on an unsuspecting server if necessary. She was kind, unfailingly generous, and deeply funny. She still loved the Detroit Lions unconditionally, even though they were always letting her down. She loved us all that way, even when we let her down. She was truly an inspiration to us all, and may her legacy be that we all try to be more like her.

Sheral was the rare combination of someone who had a love of life and a firm understanding of what was important — the simplicity of living a life with those you love. She enjoyed nothing more than time well spent with her family and friends, and in honor of her spirit a Celebration of Life party will be held on July 17th, 2022, at Crescent Sail Yacht Club in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. We would like to welcome immediate family only from 1:00 - 2:00 PM, and a gathering will follow for family and friends from 2:00 - 5:00 PM. Please wear a touch of color to honor the vibrant spirit she brought to our lives.

#wholovesyababy? #blessyourfamily