- Date Of Birth: November 4, 1926
- Date Of Death: February 26, 2015
- State: Michigan
Duane E. Smith, 88, of Galien, Michigan died Wednesday night, February 25, 2015 at Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville .Duane was born November 4, 1926 in South Bend, Indiana to Leslie and Grace (Truhn) Smith. He graduated from Galien High School in 1945 and served his country in the US Army during WWII.
After his honorable discharge, he returned home and on June 29, 1947 he married Nancy McLaren in Galien. Duane worked for the Studebaker Corporation and continued his education through the International Correspondence School, taking courses in Managing a Small Business. He worked for Babcock-Boyce Lumber Company in Galien, honing his skills in building trades, then, for the majority of his career, he worked as an Associate at the Allen Hardware, which became the True Value Hardware in Buchanan, retiring in 1988. He was community minded and served on the Galien Board of Education for five years before becoming the President of the School Board, a position he held for five years. He was elected Galien Township Treasurer, serving for 8 years. He was a member of the Roy Chilson American Legion Post 344 of Galien.
Duane was a very active member of the Olive Branch United Methodist Church, helping out however he could. God, family, and community were his focus. Survivors include his loving wife of more than 67 years, Nancy of Galien; children, Suzanne (John) Martin of Galien; Alan (Michele) Smith of Roanoke, Virginia and Ron (Rene) Smith of Bend, Oregon; grandchildren, Leslie (Michael) Caliguri, Alex Martin, and Erica (Jim) Furlong; great grandchildren, Zoey and Simon Furlong; sisters, Martha Lynne Rintlemann and Phyllis Jansen and brother, Robert Smith.
