Name: Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes
Address: Mason, MI

John was first my co worker (liskey's) than my friend. Then my employer and still my friend. I work for him and stayed at his house while he was on vacation in Florida he helped me a lot  very  good man he will be missed. John Pohl of Florida..

i met John when i first started working at Liskeys wheel service, he done frontend alignmentsalways smiling all of the time and   done his job well. he took his car in many times to make sure it was in top running performance. he would always explain to his customers why they needed the repairs on their vehicles, some listened, some didnt. those who didnt wound up broke down on the side of the road. having to pay even more for their mistake. RIP John, you will   be missed old friend

Hallie, please know we are thinking of you at this time and you are in our prayers. We are sorry for your loss.

Condolences to John's family. He was just a down-to-earth guy with a wicked sense of humor. School was a lot more fun because he was there. Tonight I had to tell my grandson about a time I got in trouble at school. I told him about the fight I had with John on the play ground when I ripped all the buttons off his shirt. His mother never let me forget about this! My grandson was appalled. When someone has shared an important part of your life and then they are gone, you feel it on a whole different level. To a dear friend, I will miss you. Cheryl

I met John in the Fall of 1970 when I was a junior @MSU.  I had been invited to a party that was being hosted by John & his roomates at Campus Hill Apts. in E.lansing. I was glad that I went. A favorite memory that I have is the time that John brought me out to his parents
farm, just after the baby lambs had been
born.  As a city girl from Detroit, I was in awe of those magnificent little creatures. My thoughts & prayers go out to John's family and to all of those who were blessed to have his friendship.

 My great grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Smalley Davis, a sister to John's great grandfather.  My brother and I  had been doing family history for a few years when I called Sheila one day to match notes.  We agreed on the vital dates but Sheila told me that John was named after his great grandfather,  but the family bible showed only John W. Smalley.   He had always wanted a middle name. I was happy to tell her the W stood for Wesley.  RIP cousin John Wesley Smalley.

A good man and meticulous mechanic. Knew John since back room at King Auto. We shared age.We both lost a child. I talked to him earlier this year at his barn and said Hi to Cooper. Glad I did.

One of my favorite customers!!  R.I.P. Mr. Smalley and thanks for taking care of me for the past ten years.
Jim Knudson
DSN Satellite

John was a great neighbor who helped me tremendously after my husband's death.  He helped me in my garden, with power outages, and my cars, etc.   Our neighborhood will miss him greatly.  It was so shocking to hear of his death.  May God bless you in this time of sorrow.

Sending our deepest condolences to all of John's siblings.  So many of the Curtis family members with memories of the Smalley family at DHS and 4-H.  Like so many others, we counted on John to keep the family wheels on the road.  Thoughts and prayers coming your way during this time of loss.

John was an outstanding individual. Very sorry to hear of his passing.

To the granddaughter: please take care if cooper!!

Our heart felt condolences to john's grand daughter. John was a very awesome man!!

Thoughts & prayers are with all of you. John & I went to school together class of 1967.

I am very sorry to hear of John's passing. He was a good friend and a good man. He will be missed by many.

Jill, we are so very sorry for your family's loss. Thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. Please let us know if we can help in any way.

Jeff and I were so sorry to hear of John's passing. We got to know John years ago when Jeff started to take care of his cows. They could talk each others ears off....lol. He also took care of many of our vehicles through the years. 
Jeff and I went to school with many of his siblings as well.
Such a nice man. He will be missed.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Thoughts and prayers with all of his family and loved ones. We will never forget his constant smile and warm greetings every time we seen him. The Finley's. Lansing Mi

My thoughts and prayers are with John's family.  We went to school in Dansville and graduated in 1967.  He was much too young!  

Pam (Wright) Woodworth\
Mason, MI

We were sad to learn of John's passing. Our deepest sympathy to all the family. I remember getting market lambs from John for 4-H projects. He helped me pick mine out but of course he always beat me at show time! Have many fond memories of John and Dansville HS. John was always a good friend and there when you needed someone to lean on. He helped my husband Tom with advice and car parts during racing season at Spartan Speedway. John will be greatly missed by those who were blessed enough to have known him.
May God hold you in His arms, surround you with His peace in your hearts and ease your pain with His love. 
Mary (Fairbanks) and Tom Houser.

My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief.  May your memories bring you comfort.

Fellow graduate of Class of 1967, Dansville, Michigan. RIP John.

Our condolences to the Smalley family.  John was a huge part of the Spartan Speedway racing community.

Jim Leasure

John and I were teammates and friends at Dansville High. He also worked on various cars of mine over the years. He was always kind and giving. Scott I am so sorry for your loss. Also sorry to John's family for their loss. Saddened by his departure; the world lost a great person.

Sorry to hear of John's passing.  Prayers and thought for his family.

Prayers for the family. John will be so missed. I was so saddened to hear about his passing.

John started working on my cars in a pole barn behind his and Sheila's home back when he was still with Liskey's, hoping to build his own business. I never trusted anyone else with my vehicles and took his auto advice as seriously as I would my doctor's for my own health. My children sought his expertise for their vehicles too as they grew up. We never called him John. He was Smalley to us. I always enjoyed listening to him talk about his children as they grew. And being greeted by Cooper at the door of his business was something I expected and happily anticipated. Something in me wanted to cry when he closed his doors last fall. I knew it would be difficult to find a replacement for his talents...and it has been. Smalley was an asset to this community in so many ways. I hope Scott knows that. God keep his family in this time of sorrow.

Scott, even though I never had the chance to meet Mr. Smalley you spoke of him so proudly. I know he meant the world to you. I am so sad and sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my prayers.

John will be missed by many in this community. Scott, my fondest memory is letting you get your nice new blue shorts all dirty while your dad was riding dirt bikes with the "bigger kids". Hallie, I haven't seen you since you were just a wee baby but, your Grampa was very proud of you and talked about you with such a smile on his face. My thoughts and prayers are with you both.

Scott,  Kerry and I were so sad to hear of your loss.  We remember your visit with your parents to California.  I am so sorry you have had so much loss in your life.  Your Dad, was a great friend to Kerry.  Let us know if there is anything we can do to help.  Kerry will be in Michigan in June and August.

I grew up with the Smalley family and was very good friends with Mike.  I remember Big Brother John most from when Mike and I would hang around the pits when John would race at Spartan Speedway and around his shop.  John was always so quiet and nice, always taking time to explain what he was doing with the cars to a clueless young kid.  My prayers are with the whole Smalley family at this difficult time.

 The Smalley family was farming neighbors of ours (the Rindfleisch family).  John also graduated with me from Dansville School in 1967. I was saddened to hear of his death, and loss for the entire Smalley family.  Many prayers during this tough time in your lives. Al & Julie (Rindfleisch) Stauffer

Scott and Hallie,  no words can express how terribly sorry we are for your loss.  John was a great friend  who we loved dearly.   He will be missed deeply.  My prayers are with you both during your time of grieving.  We are heartbroken.  Jim and Andrea Wells

     I was shocked to hear of John's passing...He was just at my house to get some racecar parts on Friday, April15th   I guess the old saying, "You never know when your time will be up", was never truer. You were a good friend and a true racer...you will be missed!

OBITUARY

John W. Smalley

May 18, 1949 – April 18, 2016

Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes

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