Ronald A. Smith

Ronald A. Smith died October 4, 2023 at age 85 in Sylvania, Ohio after a long and determined fight with Parkinson’s disease. He was a long time resident of Rochester since 1975 and was active in the Michigan Parkinson’s Foundation and the local Parkinson’s support group. He was born in 1937 in Grand Rapids, MI and moved with his family to Muskegon in 1946, where he attended Muskegon Senior High School, graduating in 1956. He attended Illinois Institute of Technology (ITT) in Chicago under a NROTC regular scholarship, graduating in 1961 with a BSEE degree and receiving a commission as an Ensign, USN. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity, and the honorary fraternity Beta Omega Nue (BON0 and a member of the NROTC rifle team for four years. Following graduation in 1961, he then served as the assistant maintenance officer for VA-196, a nuclear attack carrier squadron in the western pacific from 1961-1965. He earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for his participation in the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964. He received an Honorable discharge as a LTJG in 1965. He joined General Motors, Buick, in Flint, Michigan in 1965 as a junior engineer and subsequently earned the MBA (honors) and MSEE degrees from Michigan State University while working in Flint.

He was promoted and transferred to the GM central office staff in 1975 to the Energy Section, handling corporate activities related to energy, energy delivery facilities and related litigation. He was subsequently promoted in 1997 to the highest technical/professional non-management level in the company and was the first in his department to do so. He was nationally recognized for his broad, engineering expertise in utility supplies, rates, quality, and facility issues and was the author and co-author of several best practices booklets and energy related delivery criteria on many issues he worked with. He participated in many national committees on his subject matter and was awarded three GM President’s Honors Awards (two in one year) for projects he led. He developed and taught a senior level energy issues/policy course at Walsh College in Troy for many years. He retired from GM in 2003 but continued to work as a consultant for GM for three years on electric supply projects in Mexico. He represented GM in many public energy forums as a speaker and made several hundred plant site utility evaluations for new plant sites including the Saturn site. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in Michigan and a Senior Member of the IFEE

He was a survivor of cancer twice and of myasthenia gravis, diagnosed in 1996. He became an avid runner and bike rider and did many challenging runs and rides. He ran four marathons and several triathlons and was proudest of his first marathon in 1981, completing it in under four hours. He was an avid mountain trekker, both here in the US and overseas in Europe in several countries. He completed the New Haven, Penn. Megatrasect (25 miles mountain trail marathon with 5,000 feet of ascent and descent in 2005, there were many behind him) and in 2007 (he was tied for last), after his diagnosis of Parkinson’s in 2006. He served as a Torch Lighter for the United Way campaign in 1999, representing the Myasthenia Gravis Association. He carried the Olympic torch as a Torch bearer in the 2002 games, representing GM and his department.

His hobbies also included concerts at the Detroit Symphony and high-end high fidelity sound systems, classical music, and his best animal friend ever, Felix, his beloved pet cat.

He married the former Dorothy Wade of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1965 who he met in Chicago while at Illinois Tech. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, a retired commercial art designer and theatrical scenic designer, and his children Ian Smith of Illinois and Leslie Smith (Chris Zervas) of Ohio, as well as, 5 grandchildren; Casie (Daniel) Gust, Hailey Susor, Paul and David Zervas and Reegan Smith, and great-grandchildren, Nora and Keira. Ron was the first of his family to attend and graduate college.

He will be cremated and interred at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI with military honors. His life is summed up best by “Never Give Up” and “No Pain, No Gain” and his “deep love for his wife Dorothy”. He put up a valiant fight with Parkinson’s disease and never gave up the fight, emotionally or physically.

Friends may call on Friday, October 13th, 2023 at the Walter Funeral Home, 4653 Glendale Ave., from 3-5 PM where a memorial service will be held at 5 pm. Interment will be scheduled at a later date. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Parkinson’s Foundation.